Gundam Wing - Kindred Spirits
by Sandrock
Summary: The year - After Century 195. Two centuries after a devastating century-long war ravaged Earth. A fragile peace exists but Earth remains a world divided. Enter Heero Yuy, one who believes himself a mere college student, but about to witness a passage of e
1. Default Chapter Title

KINDRED SPIRITS by Sandrock(sandrock@gundamwing.mailbox.as)  
  
Legal Disclaimer  
Gundam Wing belongs to someone else. That's why Kindred Spirits is fan  
fiction and not an OVA series.  
  
CHAPTER ONE - KINDRED SPIRITS  
  
Content Guideline: All ages/mild violence  
  
April 17 AC 195 0900hrs EST -Chinatown, Los Angeles-  
  
The sky was a clear azure blue, a pure blanket of reflected ice crystals,  
unmarred by the presence of clouds and daunted only by the shining ball of  
flame that radiated its relentless heat down on one of mankind's great  
metropolises. The world below moved along with the bustle and inefficiency  
of any major city, harried pedestrians jostling for space on the sidewalks.  
Cars and other vehicles jammed neck-to-neck, the occupants extremely free,  
and  
audible, with their horns. The occasional police siren could be heard, along  
with the sounds of people scuffling in a fight, of glass breaking and metal  
bending as cars hit each other. All the wonders and sounds of city life.  
  
The boy surveyed all that was taking place beneath him, as he stood tall  
above the organised chaos that was the city below. The wind responsible for  
the cloudless sky picked up, with it providing some temporal relief from the  
unrelenting heatwave that was engulfing Los Angeles. Not that the boy felt  
the heat, of course. He felt the wind reach into his clothing, the gentle  
tendrils of air sweeping back his unbuttoned black windbreaker into a  
flowing arc, in much the same manner as his dark chestnut-brown hair, now  
whipping gently in the wind.  
  
Dropping to a crouch, his deep amethyst eyes peered out from behind a pair  
of black shades, deep piercing eyes that seemed to take hold of you and  
refuse to let go. He peered down from the rooftop of the eight-storey  
building he was scanning the horizons from, and his gaze shifted, taking in  
each corner of the street below. His eyes finally fixing on a small  
convenience store located some three hundred meters down. Flipping open the  
small brown folder he carried in one hand, his eyes shifted down to read  
through the lines as though confirming something, then swept up to stare at  
the convenience store one more time.  
  
He whispered to himself, in a voice that could only be described  
as...smooth.  
  
"He's there."  
  
Deftly leaping to his feet, the boy made his way across the rooftop,  
descending down the fire escape as silently as he had arrived.  
  
The wind died, first into a fluttering breeze, then into nothingness.  
  
*****  
  
April 17 AC 195 2100hrs SGT(0900hrs EST) -The Central Business District,  
Singapore-  
  
Siting one's office at the top of a skyscraper had its advantages, thought  
Quatre Raberba Winner as he took a deep breath, leaning against the railing  
of the full-length windows. Gazing out those windows, he looked out at the  
city beyond that mixed together the neo-titanium and transpari-steel  
skyscrapers that technological advancements had provided, with the  
remodelled quaint concrete two-storey 'shophouses' that had been the city's  
only infrastructure centuries ago. A city bathed in an orange glow from the  
lights that provided refuge from twilight.  
  
The blond teenager walked slowly away from the windows, seating himself  
firmly in the large chair situated behind an ornate table. The table of the  
CEO of one of the largest neo-titanium manufacturing corporations on the  
planet. Quatre had inherited the Maganac Corporation from his late father,  
who had  
died somewhat unexpectedly in an accident during a routine walkabout at one  
of the processing plants in lunar orbit. At first, there had been concerns  
that he was not up to the challenge, but the young blond had proven himself  
against all his critics. He allowed himself a contented smile as he picked  
up a china cup from a sidetable, taking a sip of strong black coffee.  
  
An insistent beeping from the companel on the table spoiled the moment.  
Composing himself, though not entirely able to mask his annoyance at being  
disturbed, he slapped the 'receive' button, his voice soft, yet with a hint  
of contempt.  
  
"Yes, Rashid?"  
  
The deep male voice of his personal assistant responded through the speaker,  
"Sir, the person you were expecting has... arrived."  
  
A momentary tinge of uneasiness crept up Quatre's spine. Trying to shake off  
the chilling effect, the blond teen took a deep breath and another sip of  
coffee and nodded, "Send him in."  
  
Standing up, Quatre Winner made his way towards the polished-oak double  
doors that led into his office, reaching them just as the large frame of  
Rashid pushed them slowly open, admitting both him, and the black-clad youth  
he was escorting.  
  
Quatre forced a smile, as he extended a hand towards the newcomer, "Glad you  
could make it, Mr. Maxwell." The newcomer nodded, reciprocating the  
handshake. He didn't seem to bother that Quatre had gripped his hand harder  
than was absolutely necessary. Gesturing towards the table, Quatre motioned  
for the other youth to sit, as Rashid closed the doors behind them.  
  
Seating himself primly in his own chair on the other side of the table,  
Quatre Raberba Winner took a moment to assess the person in front of him.  
Mr. Maxwell, as he knew him, was wearing a deep, all-black windbreaker, worn  
loosely over a light grey t-shirt that clung tightly to his sleek,  
well-toned body. Coupled with a black jockey cap, deep blue jeans and a pair  
of black shades, Mr. Maxwell looked like one of the many ordinary youths you  
could pick off the streets. Especially with that smirk on his face.  
  
The smirk broke into a grin, as the youth leaned back, allowing a  
waist-length braid of chestnut-brown hair to dangle from behind the chair,  
as he put his feet, along with the pair of high-cut sneakers they were in,  
on the table.  
  
Quatre gritted his teeth, forcing a nasty smile. His voice was tight,  
controlled, as he spoke, "Have you confirmed... it?"  
  
The braided youth nodded, taking of his cap and twirling it on one finger,  
revealing a thick mess of chestnut-brown locks that almost covered his deep  
amethyst eyes, "Oh yeah... it's all true. Every single last thing I told ya  
about. It's all in there if ya don't believe me.". He tossed a large brown  
envelope on the table, whistling softly.  
  
Quatre scowled at him, "I... see."  
  
The braided youth took his feet of the table, sitting upright and folding  
his arms across the table, "I take it... this means you'll support us?"  
  
The blond youth picked up the envelope, staring at it for a moment, "I don't  
suppose I have a choice." He pressed the comlink on the table, "Rashid,  
prepare the documents and see that they are sent according to my previous  
instructions."  
  
*Very good, sir."  
  
The braided youth grinned again, leaping to his feet, already making his way  
to the double doors, "Well then, it was a pleasure doing business with you,  
Quatre."  
  
Quatre sighed, "I suppose the same can be said of you, Mr. Maxwell. I just  
hope I'm not getting myself into more than I can handle."  
  
The braided youth winked at him as he left, his parting sentence somewhat  
muffled by the door, yet still audible.  
  
"Call me... Solo, Quatre. Everyone else does anyway."  
  
******  
  
April 17 AC 195 0915 hrs EST Chinatown, Los Angeles  
  
Only a handful of customers, thought the young Japanese boy behind the  
counter, as he wiped up yet another spill from a careless customer who had  
knocked over her hot chocolate while trying to pay for it. His deep blue  
eyes kept a constant watch on the aisles of the store, his vision only  
slightly obstructed by the thick locks of deep brown hair that swept down  
his face. He put away the cloth, closing the cash register as the careless  
customer left, the cheery 'ding' of the bell on the door marking her exit.  
  
The Asian youth sighed. He had only been on the job for two weeks, and he  
was already regretting his decision... but he needed a means by which to pay  
for his studies, and what his folks back in Japan were sending him was  
barely enough to meet the inflated prices this year, so he had figured this  
was the best of bad choices. But, three robberies in the last week alone was  
enough to unnerve anyone, especially one as unaccustomed as he was to life  
in the City of Angels.  
  
His train of thought broke as he spotted a suspicious looking character,  
lurking in the back aisles of the store. The Japanese youth mentally noted  
that he'd been skulking around the back for nearly ten minutes now, not  
moving very much, randomly picking up and looking at some items. However, as  
though suddenly aware that he'd been spotted, he walked hurriedly to the  
opposite side of the store, where they kept the juices and milk.  
  
The Japanese teen manning the store narrowed his eyes, taking a mental  
picture of the suspicious customer, in the likely event he'd need to  
describe him later. Averagely tall, the customer looked to be a typical  
American, in his teens, and was wearing a black jockey cap that covered his  
head. It wasn't much use at concealing his hair color, though, as a thick  
waist-length braid of hair swept down from behind his shoulders. He was  
wearing a deep black windbreaker, unbuttoned over a white t-shirt that was  
snugly clinging to his form, a pair of dark blue denim jeans and high-cut  
sneakers, finished off with a pair of black shades.  
  
The Japanese boy snorted *Typical troublemaker. A foolish one, no doubt, but  
still a troublemaker*. He grunted. Anyone stupid enough to wear  
a -windbreaker- in this heat had to be a few screws loose.  
  
A light tap on his shoulder broke his intent gaze on the black-clad youth.  
Turning his head, the Japanese boy inhaled sharply, stepping back from the  
counter, and the large, unshaven man pointing a pistol at him.  
  
The man breathed heavily, sending pungent whiffs that smelt distinctively of  
stale alcohol and anchovies in the Japanese boy's direction, aiming the gun  
at the boy's chest, his voice gruff, "Ya know the routine."  
  
The Japanese boy nodded, opening the cash register and filling a paper bag  
with its contents, all the while keeping a wary eye on the gun trained at  
him. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed a hint of black moving up from  
the back aisles. What was the black-clad youth up to? He glanced back at the  
man holding him at gunpoint. The guy was too engrossed in watching him fill  
up the bag to notice anyone else in the store.  
  
"Hey."  
  
Both the man and the Japanese boy whipped their heads in the direction of  
the voice, finding themselves staring at the black-clad youth now standing  
next to the large robber. The youth had both hands on his hips, and a cheeky  
grin on his face.  
  
"I suggest you put down the gun, turn around, and get your sorry ass outta  
this place before I do it for you."  
  
  
For a moment, all the man did was stare at the youth. Without a word, he  
turned back to the Japanese boy behind the counter, motioning for him to  
continue transferring the cash.  
  
"Hey! I said put the damn gun down and get the hell outta here!"  
  
The large-sized man grunted, and whipped the gun around, pointing it  
squarely at the black-clad youth's chest.  
  
The youth frowned, looking down at the weapon pointed at him, then up again  
at the man. His voice was grim when he spoke.  
  
"You'd better get that thing outta my face before I make you regret it."  
  
The Japanese youth could see the robber's face turning redder and redder.  
What the hell was that kid trying to do? Get himself killed? Was this some  
sort of crazy diversion? The kid was speaking again.  
  
"What say you play nice and listen to me, huh?"  
  
The man squeezed the trigger. The bullet hit the youth square in the chest.  
  
The Japanese youth backed away instinctively, his back hitting the ice-cream  
machines, his heart beating furiously. *I'm next.*  
  
"Wrong answer."  
  
His head whipped around. *He's still standing. The boy was still standing!*  
  
His shirt was drenched with blood, and the Japanese youth could see the hole  
in his shirt where the bullet had struck, but... the black-clad youth was  
still standing, his face grim rather than stricken.  
  
By now, the robber had probably realized that something was not right, and  
had backed away from the black-clad youth somewhat, the weapon still pointed  
at him.  
  
The youth began walking towards him. Slowly.  
  
The man fired again. And again. And again. Each round struck the youth with  
precise accuracy, but the end effect would've been the same if he had  
missed. The boy just seemed to shrug off the bullets, his face not even  
registering pain when hit.  
  
All of a sudden, the youth charged forward. With deadly speed. It was all  
the Japanese youth could do to follow his movements.  
  
The weapon flew out of the man's hand, landing several meters down the aisle  
looking somewhat bent out of shape.  
  
A hand clenched around the front of the man's shirt, and for the second time  
that day, the Japanese youth tried to back away as he realized that the  
black-clad kid was holding the large-sized would-be robber two feet off the  
ground.  
  
The would-be robber panicked, and realizing his violent struggling didn't  
seem to have any effect on the boy's grasp on his shirt, brought his right  
arm up in the wide arc of a roundhouse punch.  
  
The braided youth's free hand came up as well, stopping the blow head-on by  
intercepting the guy's fist. The youth smiled. He applied pressure, and the  
sickly *crack* of bone snapping filled the room as he crushed the man's fist  
in his own. He released the broken hand, and a dark smile crossed his face  
as he glared at the now whimpering man.  
  
"Bye."  
  
He threw the robber-wannabe out the door, sending him flying out on the  
pavement in a hail of shattered glass and metal. Several vehicles horned and  
some pedestrians swore as they sidestepped the new obstruction, eyes  
carefully averted, not looking in the store.  
  
The black-clad youth made a show of dusting his hands, breaking into a grin  
as he turned to face the now-somewhat-pale Japanese store assistant. Leaning  
against the counter, he eyed the petrified teen.  
  
"Omae no namae wa Yuy Heero desu ka?"  
  
The Japanese teen behind the counter blinked. ~Is your name Heero Yuy?~ The  
braided youth, the braided -American- youth had just spoken to him in fluent  
Japanese.  
  
Heero found his voice, "H...Hai."  
  
The braided youth winked at him, "Glad ta meet ya. I'm Duo Maxwell. You can  
call me Duo. Everyone else does, anyway." He stretched a hand out towards  
the Japanese boy.  
  
Heero eyed the hand warily.  
  
As though sensing his uneasiness, Duo chuckled lightly, reaching over  
instead to pat Heero on the shoulder.  
  
The Japanese youth winced slightly, managing to ask, "What do you want?"  
  
Duo tugged playfully at his braid, "Well... that's kinda hard to explain...  
all I can say is that..."  
  
He paused.  
  
"I was sent to find you."  
  
*****  
  
CHAPTER TWO - ETERNAL DESTINY  
  
Content Guideline: All ages/mild violence/sexual themes  
  
April 17 AC 195 Singapore  
  
Quatre Raberba Winner leaned heavily into the large comforting contours of  
his chair as he watched the huge oak double doors of his office slowly  
close, an almost inaudible creaking marking their progress. He found himself  
thinking, pondering on what had just transpired. Mulling over what he had  
just agreed to. It had been an incessant worry for a number of months now,  
starting with his first meeting with Solo Maxwell.  
  
He clenched a fist, his face growing slightly dark. Quatre had been  
travelling along a relatively clear road in central Los Angeles, heading  
back to Asia after an important conference regarding a company he had just  
acquired. All of a sudden, a teenage guy had just dashed across the road,  
right in front of his car. The driver had attempted to stop, but the boy had  
been too close, and the inevitable had happened.  
  
Quatre blinked.  
  
*I should just have left him there.*  
  
Immediately, he chided himself for thinking that. A voice in his mind seemed  
to stir.  
  
*Quatre, you know that's not really you. You try to put up this gruff  
exterior, you try to be unemotional, distant to everyone, including your  
family, but, you know, deep down.... it's not really you.*  
  
The young blond shook his head violently, his thoughts warring within.  
  
*No, no doubts!. I have to be... like this. I can't be weak. I have to  
be strong!*  
  
He slumped in his chair, swivelling around to stare at the city skyline,  
trying to derive solace, a sliver of sanctuary from his rampaging inner  
thoughts.  
  
He had gotten out of the car, rushed to the front where the boy he had  
knocked down was lying motionless. The road had been marred with a deep red  
that was only too sickeningly familiar. Quatre could not help but grimace at  
the sight. He had shouted for the driver to call for the paramedics,  
simultaneously reaching to feel the boy's neck, careful not to move him in  
any way. A faint sense of hope stirred inside Quatre as he felt the steady,  
if faint, beating of the boy's pulse.  
  
The paramedics had been fast, reaching the scene within minutes. As they  
loaded the boy carefully into the ambulance, Quatre had taken a moment to  
study the boy. Most of his features were covered with blood, it was hard to  
see anything, and his eyes were closed. He was dressed simply, most of it  
now stained red. One thing Quatre hadn't been able to miss, though, was the  
thick, long braid of chestnut-brown hair flowing down the length of his  
back.  
  
Quatre had spoken to the paramedics, informing them to charge the boy's  
medical expenses to his corporate account. The Maganac Corporation was large  
enough to be recognised world-wide, and the paramedic's eyes widened ever so  
slightly as he realised who he was talking to. Quatre had also left  
instructions to be informed of the boy's status, despite knowing that, from  
the look in the paramedic's eyes, the boy's chances of survival were very  
slim.  
  
Two weeks later, Quatre had received a letter from the Los Angeles hospital  
the boy had been sent to, stating that the boy had made a complete  
recovery after days in intensive care. The report did not elaborate, and  
Quatre did not ask. The boy had survived, and that was all he needed to  
know.  
  
The blond teen sighed. Several days after that, the boy had shown up at his  
office, identifying himself as Solo Maxwell. Everything had gone downhill  
from there.  
  
A sudden rush of feeling struck Quatre hard, breaking his train of  
thought, and he reacted as though somebody had punched him. Looking up at  
the door to his office, he whispered a single word, a name.  
  
"Iria."  
  
She was outside. Somehow, Quatre knew it.  
  
The door flew open with a bang, admitting a young woman, older than Quatre  
by a few years, her short crop of brunette hair a marked contrast to  
Quatre's blond. She stood at the door for a moment, watching as Quatre gazed  
coolly at her, coming to the realization that Quatre wasn't surprised to see  
her. She was carrying a small black folder nestled in one arm, her face a  
stolid mask that seemed to be keeping a raging fire barely in check. Quatre  
listened as her heels made soft, repetitive clicking sounds against the hard  
blue marble that tiled the floor, watched as the indignation he felt  
seething in her allowed itself to invade the way she walked.  
  
She reached his table. And slammed the folder down hard, a resounding crack  
that startled even herself. Quatre remained still.  
  
Iria Winner, older sister of Quatre Raberba Winner and Vice-President of  
the Maganac Corporation, stared down at her younger brother seated in his  
chair. Her voice was ice.  
  
"Would you care to explain what all this is about? And why was it sprung on  
me only now?"  
  
Quatre looked at her, meeting her cold gaze with one of his own, his hands  
folded on the table. He spoke.  
  
"Rashid."  
  
The large man entered the room, "Yes, sir?"  
  
Quatre turned on him, his deep sapphire eyes gleaming like shards of  
crystal, his brow furried into a frown, "What did I tell you about letting  
anyone in here unannounced?"  
  
Rashid gave a start, then found himself standing up a little straighter.  
  
"Sir, I-", he began.  
  
Quatre slammed a fist down on the table, cutting him short, "No excuses,  
Rashid! No one is supposed to come in here without me knowing beforehand!"  
The nagging voice that lived inside his head sprung to life. *But you  
knew...* Quatre gritted his teeth, and tried to ignore it.  
  
The large man looked chatised, "I didn't expect that you'd include Miss  
Iria-", he was cut off again, backing away slightly as Quatre shouted in  
fury.  
  
"NO one, Rashid! No one at all! Is that clear?!"  
  
Rashid was trembling, "As...as you command, sir."  
  
Quatre snarled, "Get out of here. Now.", turning his back even before Rashid  
left the office. He didn't want anyone to see the sickened look on his face.  
  
The voice whispered in his head. You were too hard on him. He doesn't know  
why you're so insistent on this. You don't want anyone to know, do you?  
You -don't- need anyone to tell you who'll be through that door next. You  
kn-  
  
Quatre yelled, shaking his head violently, "Shut up!!"  
  
"I haven't said a thing. Besides asking you that question. Which you still  
haven't answered."  
  
The young blond shivered, having forgotten that Iria was still standing  
there. Masking his face with cool detachment again, he turned back to look  
at her. The indignation on her face was still evident, though Quatre  
could... tell that a tinge of worry had crept into her. He flushed. She was  
worried about -him-.  
  
Quatre spoke, his voice steady and firm, "All you have to know is that you  
have to approve it. And sign there.", he pointed casually towards the  
folder.  
  
She picked up the folder, staring at her brother's signature on the  
documents, staring at the empty space next to it where her signature was  
supposed to be, looking up at Quatre incredously, "You want me to approve  
diverting almost twenty percent of our financial resources into the black  
fund? Without knowing what it's going in there for? Are you out of your  
mind?"  
  
Quatre simply looked at her, "Sign it, or I'll find someone who -will-." The  
threat was evident.  
  
The young blond watched as his sister stiffened in front of him. Inside,  
Quatre trembled. Please, Iria, don't fight. I can't back down, but I would  
rather die than do this to you... please, sister...  
  
Her face was a blank mask, but Quatre could feel the fury bottled up inside  
her. When she spoke, her voice was a match for his.  
  
"Very well then, sir...". She didn't emphasise the title, nor was there any  
trace of sarcasm in her voice, but that she had called him that struck  
Quatre hard. Iria made her way out of the office slowly, turning back once  
she reached the door, the look on her face clearly one of disappointment,  
and hurt.  
  
"I'll have it signed by tomorrow morning.". The door slammed shut behind  
her.  
  
Reaching into one of his drawers, Quatre drew out a small remote control and  
aimed it at the door, a soft click indicating the lock had been activated.  
He put it away mechanically, swivelling his chair to face the skyline.  
  
And wept. Silently.  
  
I'm sorry... Iria... Rashid... I'm... sorry.  
  
*****  
  
AC 195 April 17 Los Angeles  
  
The two youths simply looked at each other for what seemed like ages, one  
whose face was a mask of incomprehension, the other, a knowing yet  
mischevious smirk.  
  
Heero Yuy swallowed, a little uncomfortably, as he met the gaze of the  
black-clad youth smirking at him as though nothing had happened.  
Lifting a hand to brush away the locks of dark brown hair obscuring his  
vision, Heero found his voice. Deep blue met sparkling amethyst.  
  
"You were... sent to find me?"  
  
Duo Maxwell broke into a grin, placing his hands on his hips, "That's  
right."  
  
Heero tensed visibly. Sometimes, having someone sent to 'find' you meant a  
lot more than being invited over for tea. Especially if the one sent was  
dressed like Death itself, and had just thrown a man three times his size  
out the front door like a piece of paper.  
  
His eyes scanned the counter for something... anything he could possilbly  
use as a weapon, for all the good it would do. After seeing what the youth  
standing in front of him could do, he bore no illusions that if it came down  
to defending himself... he wouldn't stand a chance.  
  
Duo quirked an eyebrow at him, as though realizing what Heero was thinking.  
  
He rolled his eyes, sighing, "Look, here's the deal. I'm not gonna hurt you  
or anything. I  
was sent to find you, not -kill- you! Why do ya think I saved you from that  
jackass?!"  
  
The Japanese youth stared at the other boy. His mind was screaming at him,  
yelling caution and danger at every turn. Yet, the boy was... vaguely  
familiar. Something intangible within him was responding to this youth, he  
bore a sense of closeness, of familiarity. Like...  
  
... a kindred spirit.  
  
Despite what his mind was saying, instinct was telling him to trust the boy.  
He looked down.  
  
"Who's... looking for me?"  
  
The one who called himself Duo grinned broadly as he leaned forward to place  
one elbow on the counter, propping his head up on his hand as huge amethyst  
eyes blinked at Heero. His free hand came up to wag a finger at the Japanese  
youth.  
  
"I can't tell ya that. Not just now, anyway. I was only supposed to locate  
you, then bring you back with me."  
  
Heero tensed again. The fears returned.  
  
"Where are you supposed to take me?".  
  
Duo stared at the boy behind the counter for a moment, sighing. Gazing  
firmly into Heero's eyes, he reached over and placed a hand on Heero's  
shoulder, squeezing lightly, a gesture meant to help him relax.  
  
Instead, Duo felt Heero tense even more, trembling slightly.  
  
The braided teen shook his head in desperation. Heero was too shaken up by  
what transpired to listen to him rationally. He sighed. His job might have  
been a little easier if he hadn't intervened. After all, the robber would've  
just left after getting his cash, and Duo would've had all the time in the  
world to work on Heero. *Why'd I have to go and butt in?*  
  
Duo shook his head. It wasn't that. Something had just... triggered inside  
him when he saw Heero at gunpoint. It was odd, almost inexplicable really,  
but there had been an overwhelming urge to protect him, to prevent him from  
getting hurt.  
  
He turned back to the Japanese youth still looking at him and trembling.  
There would be time enough later to deal with his odd reaction. He spoke,  
his voice soft.  
  
"Look, Heero... I know you have no reason to trust me, and I know I didn't  
exactly make a good first impression... but you gotta believe me when I say  
I'm not gonna hurt you. I know the only thing on your mind right now is to  
run away or hide or something... but I'm not lying, Heero. I don't lie. I'm  
here to protect  
you."  
  
Heero blinked.  
  
*I know the only thing on your mind right now is to run away or hide or  
something...*  
  
**He runs... he hides...**  
  
*...but I'm not lying, Heero. I don't lie.*  
  
**... but he never lies.**  
  
The odd sense of trust returned. He looked up at the braided teen.  
  
"Okay."  
  
Duo smiled, "Cool. Now, I know ya probably can't go anywhere right now,", he  
stared at the mess in front of the store, his smile becoming somewhat  
sheepish, "... heh... sorry 'bout the mess... I know you're probably the one  
whose gonna clean it up, but I'll pay for the damages."  
  
He turned to look at Heero again, "Can you meet me at lunch? There's a quiet  
alley way five blocks down. I'll bring you to them, then."  
  
Their eyes met.  
  
Heero nodded.  
  
*****  
  
AC 195 April 17 Singapore  
  
Quatre Raberba Winner drew his jacket tightly around his small frame, trying  
to ward off the chilly night breeze that sent his light-golden locks flying  
in all directions as he patiently waited for the open-air transport to  
shuttle him to the private jet awaiting his arrival somewhere on the huge  
runways of Singapore's Changi Airport. He shivered slightly, his mind making  
a feeble effort at blocking out all his stray thoughts.  
  
Next to him, Rashid stood silently, aloof and withdrawn. Quatre tried to  
ignore him, even while a small part screamed at him to go and salvage this  
situation. *I... can't back down.*  
  
The silhouette of his private jet came into view, and Quatre uttered a  
silent prayer of thanks. The transport eased to a halt, and both passengers  
alighted, making their way towards the aircraft. The aircraft crew nodded  
politely by way of greeting as he boarded, and he asked one of the  
attendants a passing question.  
  
She smiled, with the practiced grace and charm of all flight crew, "If we  
take off immediately, we should reach Los Angeles around 2pm EST."  
  
Quatre nodded, "Tell the pilot to do so. Rashid, take the bags and put them  
away. Then, get some rest. I'll take care of things myself."  
  
"Th..thank you, sir."  
  
*****  
  
AC 195 April 17 Los Angeles  
  
The store finally cleaned up, Heero Yuy gave a quick wave to the colleague  
who was taking over from him. Grateful to finally be able to change out of  
the  
gaudy green-and-blue uniform of that particular convenience chain, he had  
garbed himself in his more familiar, and comfortable, t-shirt and jeans  
ensemble. Normally, he would spend the time walking home planning out the  
rest of his day, when he had to be at the campus for class, and if he had  
any social activities planned for the night. Today, however, as he made his  
way towards the alleyway five blocks down, Heero found himself thinking  
about the enigmatic black-clad youth who had just stormed into his life this  
morning. Who the hell was he? And how did he do... all that?  
  
Most importantly... why the hell did he seem so familiar?  
  
Heero shook his head, his mind unable to shake the memory of Duo's startling  
abilities. It couldn't be anything to do with the genetic modification  
fiasco of the decade before, could it? The whole project had been scrapped  
by the Euro-American Alliance after the initial tests had produced...  
horrifying results in the test subjects. Besides, the Asian Federation had  
made quite a huge political ruckus over the incident and in the interest of  
maintaining the world peace that had lasted for centuries, the Alliance had  
scrapped the project.  
  
"~Heeeeero!~"  
  
So deep in thought was Heero, that he jumped as the shrill voice  
reverberated around the street. Flushing red, ignoring the odd looks the  
passersby were giving him, he turned to face the one he knew would be there.  
He forced a smile, staring at the girl now hooked onto his arm.  
  
"Misako... uh... hi...", he managed to say, as he gently tried to remove her  
vise-like grip on his upper arm.  
  
Inwardly, Heero sighed. Misako was a fellow student from his school, taking  
most of the same classes he was. That meant they spent a lot of time  
together. Cheerful to the point of bubbly, she had attached herself to him  
from the first day he had stepped into class. When she discovered he was  
from Tokyo as well, everything had gotten worse.  
  
She grinned, swinging her free hand melodramatically as she walked, "So,  
whatcha doin', Heero-kun?". The hand gripping Heero's arm squeezed tighter,  
"Wait... don't tell me... you've been working out, right?"  
  
Heero, still trying to pry off her hand, looked at her silently. Deep black  
curled locks swept down towards her shoulders, outlining her petite frame as  
she walked, an ironic contrast to the bright psychedelic colors she loved to  
wear. Large brown eyes gazed fondly at him, casting a look so demure it had  
to be fake. The ring she had pierced into her nose didn't help much either.  
  
Heero supposed she could be considered... nice. In a way. After a fashion.  
  
Heero, realizing he was staring at her, abruptly turned his head, casting  
his gaze down, "I'm meeting someone. An old...friend."  
  
Immediately, she let go of his arm, and stopped walking. Heero suppressed a  
sigh. *Not again.* Why did she have to do this -everytime- he said he was  
busy?  
  
He turned back to where she had stopped.  
  
She was looking down.  
  
"I thought... we could have lunch together."  
  
Shaking his head slightly, he walked the few steps back towards her,  
"Look... Misako, I promised him I'd meet him today. He said it was really  
important."  
  
To his surprise, she brightened up visibly. She met his gaze, grinning  
madly, "Oh... I see! You're going to meet a -him-... uh, I mean, you're  
gonna meet -him-! In that case, I don't see why you shouldn't..."  
  
She paused momentarily, then quietly asked, "Meet you for dinner?"  
  
Heero repressed a shudder as he realized the reason for her change in mood.  
In the moment of confusion as the thought sank in, he answered, saying the  
first thing that came to mind.  
  
"Uh... yeah..."  
  
The girl made a sound much like a rat being stepped down, and looked as  
though she were about to faint. She leapt at him, wrapped her arms around  
him, and landed a kiss right smack on his lips. Her eyes were closed, so she  
didn't have the opportunity to see the way Heero's eyes bulged out in shock.  
  
He tried frantically to extricate himself, tried to push her away. From the  
sounds she was making, it appeared she thought he was trying to grope her.  
  
Heero flushed a deeper red.  
  
Finally, after five infinite seconds, she broke the kiss, running away  
laughing, shouting back at him, "Great! See ya at seven, then!" She blew  
another kiss at him.  
  
A deeper, smooth voice broke into Heero's now numbed mind.  
  
"That was... amusing."  
  
He jerked in the direction of the voice, spotting Duo leaning against a wall  
a few meters ahead, grinning at him. Walking hastily towards the boy, he  
said simply, "She's a... classmate."  
  
Duo quirked an eyebrow, still grinning, "A classmate... Right."  
  
Heero glared at him for a second, before realizing who he was glaring at,  
then hastily looked at his feet.  
  
The amused lilt in Duo's voice remained, "C'mon, let's get you in the ca-."  
  
Abruptly, Duo halted.  
  
Heero looked up. Duo was staring at something far off in the distance, up at  
one of the buildings.  
  
Heero squinted in that direction. Nothing.  
  
He was about to turn back towards the black-clad American, when Duo suddenly  
yelled, "Get down!"  
  
Heero had no time to react before Duo grabbed his shoulder and shoved him  
away. The Japanese youth hit the ground with a dull thud, wincing from the  
impact. He looked up, allowing a slight tinge of irritation to creep into  
his voice, a mere shadow of what he was feeling within, "What was that  
all...? He cut short abruptly as he saw what Duo was holding. The braided  
youth's hand was right at the spot where Heero's heart would've been if he  
had been standing. A hand that was clutching at the long shaft of a crossbow  
bolt.  
  
Heero's mind froze, putting two and two together. A crossbow. Someone had  
fired a crossbow bolt at him. The weapon of choice of professional  
assassins. Silent, yet as accurate and deadly as any firearm, the crossbow  
had been revived from it's medieval inception and enhanced with modern  
technology into a weapon feared by rich  
businessmen and politicians alike. But, certainly not one a Japanese  
university student struggling to earn a living should have to worry about.  
  
Duo tightened his grip on the bolt, snapping the wooden shaft in half as  
Heero scrambled to his feet, hissing, "What the hell is this, Duo? What have  
you gotten me into?!". He didn't care who Duo was anymore, or if he would  
take offense at being talked to like that. The anger inside Heero had to  
come out, and he was doing a fine job of it now.  
  
Duo had the decency to look a little... shamed. He looked at Heero, "Don't  
ask. Come." He grabbed Heero by the arm, literally dragging the other boy  
with him towards a small, unmarked car. He motioned for Heero to get in,  
waiting for him before getting in himself, starting the engine, and driving  
off.  
  
*****  
  
The assassin removed the scope affixed in front of his eye and deactivated  
it. Deep blue eyes watched the small car as it drove off. Dismantling the  
crossbow, and placing it back in its casing, the youth couldn't help but  
shake his head in disgust. He had been too late. -They- had gotten to him  
first.  
  
Opening a seperate bag, he accidentally tossed out a large brown folder, its  
contents spilling out on the floor. A large photo of Heero Yuy fell out,  
along with some documents clearly marked 'CONFIDENTIAL'. Documents clearly  
marked with the seal of the Asian Federation. The youth slammed a fist on  
the floor. A lot of people had risked their lives to gain that data... and  
he had screwed it all up by being too late.  
  
Fishing out a small mirror and some hairstyling tools, the youth busied  
himself with his hair. He usually made it a point to disguise himself while  
on such missions, in the unlikely event that he was discovered, he had a  
completely seperate identity to use. No one would be able to recognize him.  
  
No one had caught him before. And he had never missed his target. Until now.  
And it was only because of that Maxwell kid.  
  
With practiced ease, his blue eyes deep in concentration as he worked to  
style his thick brown locks back into the way he usually wore his hair,  
brushed forward into a thick bang that covered one eye, something he felt  
added to the aura of mystery that surrounded him. Removing the contacts that  
changed his eye color, he blinked twice, and deep brown eyes stared  
wistfully out the window once more, gazing where he had missed his first  
target. For the moment.  
  
Unhurriedly packing his tools, he retrieved the scattered folder and placed  
in back in the bag. He stood up, silently, and proceeded to report his  
failure.  
  
*****  
  
Heero was silent as he sat in the car, watching Duo warily as he drove,  
swerving recklessly yet precisely through midday traffic. For once, Duo  
wasn't saying anything either.  
  
The Japanese youth looked at him for a full minute before speaking.  
  
"Duo."  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"....Thank you."  
  
The braided teen glanced over his shoulder at Heero, a questioning look  
evident on his face, "For what?"  
  
"For saving me again. If you hadn't... intercepted that arrow..."  
  
Duo grinned, brushing it aside with a wave of his hand, "Don't mention it."  
  
Heero paused for a moment, as if deciding something.  
  
"Duo... can I ask you something?"  
  
Duo looked at him, "Sure... I guess... no, wait, hold that thought. We're  
here."  
  
The car was pulling up to a large unmarked door, nestled almost invisibly  
along a side road. On cue, the door began sliding open, admitting the  
vehicle. Duo drummed his fingers on the dashboard as they waited for the  
door to close behind them, sending the cavernous room they were in into  
pitch blackness.  
  
Without warning, the vehicle began moving on its own power, and it took  
Heero a few seconds to get accustomed to the darkness to realize that they  
were on a conveyor belt. The conveyor turned left, into a large elevator  
built into the wall. The doors of the elevator closed behind them, and Heero  
felt his gut rise as the elevator plummeted downwards at great speed. In the  
meantime, Duo had reclined his seat, and his feet were now resting on the  
dashboard. He quirked yet another grin at Heero.  
  
Abruptly, the lift stopped, and the doors opened, revealing a small  
reception chamber. Three people were standing there, apparently ready to  
greet him.  
  
Duo leaped out of the car, walking up to the trio. Heero heard him saying  
something that sounded vaguely like, "That's him."  
  
The first person nodded.  
  
Heero slowly opened the car door, heading in their direction, taking the  
time to study the three. The man in the lead towered over his two companions  
and Duo, and fine tendrils of soft hair curved down towards his shoulder,  
the stark white color accentuating the light blue of his eyes. He was  
dressed in simple shades of cream and white, the only element of color a  
small badge he wore on the left breast of his coat. Shaped like a long  
silver sword surrounded by a wreath of green laurels, the badge glinted in  
the room's illumination.  
  
His two companions were female. The one on his left had short-cropped dark  
blue hair with a slight fringe that favored the right side of her face,  
slightly covering her eyes. The one on his right had light brown hair that  
was nearly as long as Duo's, reaching her waist, tied into a neat ponytail  
as opposed to Duo's braid. A neat fringe framed her ice-blue eyes. Both were  
wearing muted greys, and the same badge.  
  
It was beginning to look like some cheesy science fiction show.  
  
The man in front extended a hand to Heero, his deep sonorous voice  
reverberating throughout the room.  
  
"You are Heero Yuy? Good. My name is Zechs Merquise, I am director of  
operations here. These are my associates, Lucrezia Noin, and Relena  
Darlian."  
  
Both the women nodded at him.  
  
Heero's gaze took it all three of them, "Are you the ones looking for me?"  
  
Zechs' smile was... knowing, "Yes and no. If you'll follow me, I'll bring  
you to those who asked for your presence."  
  
At Heero's nod, Zechs turned to Duo, a small smile on his face, "Excellent  
performace, Duo. Father would be proud of your work today. Why don't you go  
report to Sister? Solo should be back soon, and according to our logs, both  
of you are well past your scheduled maint-". An insistent tap on his  
shoulder made Zechs look at Relena, a frown evident on her face. She turned  
to the braided youth, "Go see Sister, Duo. She's been waiting for you."  
  
Duo shrugged, "Whatever." He winked at Heero before leaving, "Catch ya  
later!", exiting through a side door.  
  
The one introduced as Lucrezia Noin took Heero by the arm, leading him  
through another door, with Zechs and Relena bringing up the rear. They made  
their way through what seemed to Heero to be a rabbit warren, identical  
grey-painted corridors illuminated brightly with numerous flourescent  
lights. After twisting and turning for about five minutes, Heero abruptly  
stopped, turning to face the three, his face portraying an emotion that  
could have been adamance... or fear.  
  
"Look... I'm not going to go further until I get at least -some- of my  
questions answered."  
  
Zechs eyed him slowly, and Heero felt an unconscious urge to back away... to  
back down. He fought the urge, forcing himself to meet Zechs' gaze.  
  
The white-haired man nodded, "Very well, then. I will answer -one- question,  
and no more. Those seeking you do not like being kept in waiting."  
  
Heero released the breath he had been holding. They had actually agreed,  
given in to his demand! Hurriedly, he went through all the questions running  
through his mind, choosing the one thing he wanted to know. He would soon  
find out who was looking for him, and why, so that wasn't necessary.... that  
left...  
  
"Who is Duo?"  
  
Relena and Noin stiffened as though he had slapped them. Immediately, the  
brown-haired girl pulled Zechs away, out of Heero's hearing range.  
  
Zechs eyed her strangely, "We agreed to answer one question. No exceptions."  
  
She frowned at him, "We can't tell him -that-! Not even the staff here know  
what Duo is! We don't even know if this is the Heero we're looking for, and  
if he is, whether he'll agree with what we want!"  
  
Zechs shook his head gently, "That's why we need to build up his trust. And  
we have to do it -now-. We -have- to tell him. Besides, even if he turns out  
to be a fake, he can be disposed of. The only way he leaves here is in full  
agreement with us. Or dead."  
  
Relena's frown remained, "I don't suppose we have a choice then." She turned  
away.  
  
Zechs shrugged to himself, walking back towards Heero, smiling slightly,  
"Very well, then. Simply put, Duo Maxwell is a cybernetically-augmented  
clone, one of two built by this organization. He, and his twin, Solo axwell,  
were created from DNA extracted from the victim of a vehicle accident  
several months back. The person's name was Blake Richardson, one of the few  
positively identified as potentially compatible to the cybernetics program.  
From him, we created two clones, spitting images of Blake, and we named  
them. Solo, and Duo. The first, and the second. The scientist in charge,  
Professor Maxwell, then augmented the clones with the latest in the  
cybernetics field. The result: two enhanced humans, with unequalled  
strength, speed, hearing, sight... everything. Coupled with the transfer of  
the original subject's personality, Solo and Duo are unmatched in what they  
do best, covert operations, and anything else we need of them."  
  
Without waiting for Heero to absorb what he had just learnt, Zechs resumed  
walking, dragging the boy along, "Now then, shall we?"  
  
Heero Yuy allowed himself to be led.  
  
Duo...  
  
Led towards whatever was awaiting him.  
  
Blake...  
  
His future.  
  
What do they want with me?  
  
His fate.  
  
Somebody answer me.  
  
His destiny.  
  
*****  
  
CHAPTER THREE - THE ILLUSION OF TRUTH  
  
Content Guideline: Be warned! Extreme violence.  
  
April 17 AC 195 01:00pm EST Los Angeles Outskirts, Euro-American  
Alliance  
  
The young Asian boy named Heero Yuy followed the three blindly, walking as  
they guided, not seeing or hearing. His mind raced with thoughts. Thoughts  
of the enigmatic black-clad youth he had discovered was no ordinary kid.  
  
*Duo... is a cyborg?*  
  
*What do they want with me? Why I am special?*  
  
His breath caught in his throat.  
  
*Are they going to turn me... into...*  
  
The three people leading Heero stopped in front of a large entrance, the  
wooden panels of the double-doors painted the same stark gray as the walls.  
A strange symbol, impossible for Heero to describe, lay etched on either  
door. Zechs Merquise turned to his two associates, and nodded. Lucrezia Noin  
took the left door, and Relena Darlian took the right. Zechs turned to face  
Heero.  
  
"They are waiting for you."  
  
Both women pushed the doors open simultaneously. The room was large,  
expansive, and at best, could be described as functional. The floor was gray  
carpet, the walls, a pristine white. The only illumination in the room came  
from halogen bulbs in the ceiling, thankfully, and Heero found himself  
staring a large floodlight  
affixed to the ceiling aimed at the doorway, the bulbs within glowing red as  
they cooled down.  
  
A rumbling cough caught his attention, and his head turned to the front.  
  
Arrayed in front of him, seated at a long, polished-oak table, were five...  
people.  
  
They were all dressed in the same white garb that Zechs was wearing, the  
strange symbol from the door pinned on the left of their shirts. They were  
all smiling at him... or at least, showing teeth.  
  
The first from the left was a tall, balding man. He sported no distinctive  
features, and had a stern visage. Heero quickly shifted his gaze to the  
next. The man next to him was somewhat plump, and he had the look of one who  
perspired profusely. A wire-thin black mustache complemented the thinning  
black hair on his head, and he had a wierd smirk on his face. The third man,  
in the center, wore a lab-coat over his white garb, and had a pair of  
strange spectacles obscuring his eyes, his coarse face framed by a thick  
length of  
graying hair. Thr fourth had a huge mushroom-shaped shock of hair. In any  
normal person, this alone would be a distinctive feature, but it was  
overshadowed by the grotesquely large nose planted firmly in the middle of  
the man's face. An old scar ran down one of his cheeks. The final man  
sported a short crop of graying hair, and had a permanent worried frown on  
his face. His nose was somehow obscured, it appeared to be covered with a  
grayish material that Heero could not recognize. They somehow seemed  
familiar, especially the man with strange spectacles. They seemed to...  
frighten him... intimidate him in some subconscious way.  
  
All these people... starting with Duo, they are seemed a little too...  
familiar somehow... the feeling Heero experienced was something akin to deja  
vu... like they've met before, only he could not remember for the life of  
him when.  
  
Heero shook his head, dismissing the thoughts as side-effects of the Dreams.  
  
His train of thought broke when he realized that the center man, the one  
with the strange spectacles had spoken to him, and that all five were now  
staring at him intently, awaiting an answer.  
  
Heero blushed, dipping his head in what he thought looked like an apologetic  
stance, "I'm sorry... what was your question?"  
  
The spectacled man didn't blink, "Are you Heero Yuy?"  
  
Heero paused for a second, then nodded, "Yes."  
  
The questions continued, "From Tokyo, Japan, in the Asian Federation?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Born June 29th AC 180 at St. Anthony's Hospital?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
The man nodded, "Good."  
  
He stood up, "We are glad to welcome you. I am known as J, and these are my  
fellow colleagues, O, H, S and G. Our real names do not matter. Our business  
with you does."  
  
Heero swallowed, "What do you want with me?"  
  
The man who called himself J smiled. It was not reassuring.  
  
"We need to examine you, Heero. That is all, for now. Would you be willing  
to... allow us?"  
  
Heero's heart was pounding in his chest, "...what.. for?"  
  
The one introduced as G cackled softly, his large nose shaking a little,  
"Don't worry, boy. The last thing we want is to hurt you. In the business  
we're in, one happens to... hear a lot of rumors... and one of those rumors  
happen to be about you. We are scientists... of sorts, and curious about  
you. You'll be surprised... about the things that are said."  
  
Heero tried to back away, but found himself immobilized by Zechs, "What...  
rumors?" He didn't care if his whole body was shaking with fear, or if his  
face was now death-white.  
  
The stern-visaged O stood up, and a deep smile unexpectedly formed on his  
face. Unlike J's smile, his seemed genuine.  
  
"Listen, Heero. A lot of effort was made to get you here. Our agent, Duo,  
even saved you from an assassination attempt. Doesn't that make you at least  
think that a part of what we say, at least about the rumors about you, are  
true? Someone is clearly out to kill you, to remove the threat before it can  
take form...", he stopped himself as he realized he may have said too much.  
  
Heero frowned, "I'm... a threat?"  
  
J snapped, "Enough talk. You have two choices, Heero Yuy. Either you submit  
to the examination we want to conduct, and we will put the resources of our  
organization behind you and protect you from those who would harm you... or  
you can walk free... no questions asked... until the next assassin tries to  
put a crossbow bolt into your head. Choose. Now."  
  
*****  
  
The five scientists watched from behind the one way mirror looking into the  
plain white room where Zechs and Noin were strapping the boy down to the  
examination table, while Relena stored away the boy's clothes. They watched,  
as Noin and Relena left, leaving the boy alone with Zechs, shivering  
against the cold metal of the table, with nothing but his skin touching the  
surface he lay upon. Zechs patted the boy's arm reassuringly as he attached  
numerous sensors to various parts of the boy's slim form.  
  
The five murmured softly to themselves, tapping at the controls arrayed in  
front of them. J pressed a button, signalling to Zechs that they were about  
to begin. He turned towards the mirror, and nodded. Walking out of their  
sight, he activated a small switch on the wall.  
  
The lights in the room dimmed, and a soft green glow began to emanate from  
the array of equipment above where Heero lay. Almost instantaneously, the  
monitors in front of the five scientists began to feed information...  
displaying it in the forms of charts and diagrams. The five peered eagerly  
at the results, their eyes widening in anticipation.  
  
Ten long minutes paused, and Heero Yuy found himself sweating despite the  
cold. He was glad that he was alone, apart from Zechs. He could not bear the  
thought of people looking at him, as he was. His face flushed as he caught  
sight of his own naked form lying on the table, and he squeezed his eyes  
shut, willing himself to endure this humiliation for however long it took.  
  
Meanwhile, behind the one-way mirror, an aura of excitement was building up,  
and the scientists were beginning to grin. They were talking excitedly,  
their words incomprehensible to anyone but themselves.  
  
"I see it! There! The block is there!"  
  
"No, fool! That region has -nothing- to do with it! The block is here!"  
  
"It is not a block, rather... it is more like a thinning, like a river being  
dammed, the flow reduced to a trickle..."  
  
"This is no time to be poetic, J! We've found him! We can avert it all! It  
doesn't have to happen!"  
  
"Yes, brothers. I think we have found him. And that gives us a better chance  
at restoring the balance... but you forget..."  
  
"..he is not the only one."  
  
The five paused in their rambling as the words of O hit them hard, and J  
nodded, "You're right... only half the battle is fought and we are already  
declaring victory. The search must continue, and I think I know where to  
look... give us a little time, and all will be well."  
  
H was staring through the mirror, staring with an almost wistful look at the  
shivering boy. He asked softly, "Do you think we should release him?"  
  
J nodded, "We should, at least. It must be cold in there without clothes,  
and the restraints must be hurting him by now."  
  
H laughed softly, "No, J. I mean, do you think we should release his block?"  
  
J stared at the other incredulously, while the three remaining masked their  
expressions, "Are you crazy, H? If we release the block, there's no stopping  
him! Their plan will begin to execute, and everything... she told us will  
take place. You know she speaks the truth. We cannot release the block!"  
  
H shook his head, "No, J. I'm not suggesting what you think. I worked for a  
while on a similar project, I know how these blocks work. We can release the  
physical block, while maintaining the mental block. He will still not be  
aware of his true purpose, but the stress taking its toll on his body, the  
stress he can't feel and won't feel till it is too late, that will be  
released, and he will be at his full potential. Besides, if he is to work  
for us, he will need time to adjust, and the best time for that, is when he  
doesn't know that the block is gone, when he doesn't even know there's a  
block at all. When he still believes himself to be Heero Yuy, the innocent  
university student from Tokyo, scraping through life unknown and unheard."  
  
J paused, as did the rest, save H. Moments that seemed like hours passed,  
until, finally, reluctantly, he nodded.  
  
"Very well."  
  
H smiled, turning to tap a few instructions into the control panel, and the  
greenish light above the boy turned blue. The boy's eyes widened, as in  
shock, and his body spasmed. He fought against the restraints, thrashing  
about violently, his teeth clenched, the veins in his temple and neck  
looking ready to burst, the muscles in his body looking ready to cramp. Five  
seconds, and it was all over... the blue light subsided, and so did the boy,  
sagging motionless back onto the bed, breathing heavily.  
  
H smiled, "The block is gone... slowly now... he will return to normal."  
  
O picked up the small microphone that plugged into the chamber in front,  
"Zechs, see that he is clothed. If he wishes rest, arrange appropriate  
quarters. Otherwise, tend to whatever needs he requires."  
  
Zechs nodded to the mirror, "Yes, sir."  
  
Turning off the microphone, O turned to his associates.  
  
"When do you plan on telling him?"  
  
J nodded, his eyes gleaming, "Let him rest. There is ample time."  
  
*****  
  
Heero allowed Zechs to literally carry him to the small room adjacent to the  
chamber he had been in. He doubted he could have walked on his own, not  
after that ordeal, whatever it was... let alone try to struggle out of the  
larger man's grip. Zechs gently helped him into the room, laying him slowly  
on to the small bed.  
  
The light-blond man smiled at him, "Rest now... that process always exhausts  
the receipient."  
  
Weakly, Heero looked up, "They've... done... this... before?"  
  
Zechs turned away from him, walking slowly towards the door. He stopped,  
turning to face the boy again.  
  
"Yes..."  
  
The door opened, and Zechs began to walk out.  
  
"... but you're the first to survive. That means you're really the one  
they've been looking for..."  
  
Heero drifted off into sleep, the rest of Zechs' words cut off.  
  
*****  
  
Heero Yuy nearly fell out of the bed in his haste to wake up. He was  
breathing heavily again.  
  
*The Dreams...*  
  
He tried to calm his frayed nerves. Having the Dreams always gave new  
meaning to the word 'fear'. The government had explained it, and why the  
Dreams were happening, but that didn't help at all. Whatever the government  
said, the Dreams sure seemed -real-.  
  
He tried to recall what had happened this time. Everything was vague... he  
knew Duo had been there, he now recognized him in the Dreams... and there  
were three others... young boys, his age... he did not know them... and they  
were fighting... just the five of them... fighting against a horde of  
giants... all alone. The giants... they were blurred in the Dream and Heero  
could not make them out very well... were relentless... never-ending, but  
somehow the five of them kept on destroying the giants as fast as they  
came... Heero could make out that he was somehow inside one of the giants  
himself, as were the other four, watching as the giant he was inside refused  
to surrender, refused to give up fighting... and he saw himself... and did  
not like the Heero he saw in the Dreams...  
  
He shook his head, trying to clear his mind, reminding himself that the  
Dreams were part of life... they had been part of life for centuries. This  
was not the first time he had this particular Dream. Or the countless others  
like it. He glanced at his watch, noting that he had been asleep over four  
hours. He stood up, stretching a little, and yawned. Stripping out of the  
sleeping robe they had dressed him in, he changed back into the clothes he  
had worn to this... strange place, which he had found lying on a chair near  
the bed.  
  
He was about to knock on the door for someone to let him out when the door  
slid open, admitting Zechs. The taller man smiled at him, "I see you're  
looking a lot better. Follow me."  
  
Heero frowned, "Where are we going now?"  
  
Zechs laughed a little, "No more tests, I assure you. Someone who's a little  
worried about you wants to see you."  
  
Heero quirked an eyebrow, "Someone here is worried about me?"  
  
Zechs shook his head in amusement, "Look... I know you're suspicious about a  
lot of things, but trust me, I'm telling the truth, okay?" He proffered a  
hand.  
  
Heero stared at the hand for a long moment, before looking up in Zechs'  
eyes. He took the hand firmly and shook it, "Okay."  
  
Zechs winced slightly, but said nothing other than, "Follow me."  
  
*****  
  
Heero Yuy entered through a small door, and found himself immediately  
greeted by a cheery "So there you are!". His gaze turned, looking at the  
black-clad figure sitting in a large sofa with his legs propped up on the  
coffee table. He couldn't help smiling. He sat down next to the boy.  
  
Duo Maxwell peered at Heero from behind black shades, his eyes wide in mock  
anticipation, "So.... how did your meeting with the five old buzzards go?"  
  
A snort came from across the room, and both Heero and Duo turned. Heero  
blinked. And blinked again.  
  
Standing in the corner of the room, casually holding a cup of hot coffee,  
was... Duo.  
  
He turned to the boy sitting next to him. Then looked at the one standing in  
the corner. And gaped.  
  
Duo blinked at Heero, "Didn't Zechs explain it all to you?"  
  
Flushing a bright red, Heero realized his error, kicking himself for  
forgetting. Zechs had explained it all, just before the meeting with the  
five scientists.  
  
Duo grinned as he watched Heero blush, "Looks like they haven't done  
anything much to you. Heero, I want ya to meet my twin bro, Solo Maxwell.  
Solo, this is Heero, my last assignment."  
  
Solo nodded at Heero from where he stood, flashing a wide smile and a 'V'  
sign, "Hey."  
  
Heero still couldn't help blinking. The two of them were -identical-. The  
expressions, the voice, the -hair-...  
  
Duo tapped Heero on the shoulder, grinning, "Hey, we ain't that pretty. Stop  
gawking at him."  
  
Heero glared at the braided youth, a glare that was countered with a small  
smirk, and he gave Duo a friendly punch on the shoulder.  
  
Duo's face remained unchanged, but his hand came up to rub the spot where  
Heero had hit him. The grin was still on his face when he spoke, "Man,  
someone's been workin' out..."  
  
Heero quirked an eyebrow at him, but he wasn't really listening to Duo's  
banter.  
  
*C'mon... the guy's a cyborg! You couldn't possibly have hurt him... he's  
just foolin' around as usual. He always fools around... you know that...  
always saying the wrong thing, always annoying you because he won't stop  
talking, even during a mission...*  
  
Heero's eyes widened.  
  
*What the hell am I thinking? What mission? I don't even know him, other  
than that he's a cyborg! And why am I joking around and laughing and  
punching him like we're best friends??*  
  
He shook his head violently.  
  
*No... I'm not supposed to let the Dreams... affect... the government...  
says... dangerous.*  
  
"Heero? Are you okay?"  
  
Heero snapped out of his train of thought, turning to see a pair of  
concerned amethyst eyes gazing at him.  
  
He nodded, "I'm fine, Duo. Thanks."  
  
Duo eyed him, "You were asleep before this, right?"  
  
Heero nodded.  
  
Duo pressed on, "It was the Dreams, wasn't it?"  
  
Heero nodded again, wordless.  
  
Duo grinned, "Only fools let themselves be affected by those, Heero, and  
you're no fool. Heck, even Solo and I have the Dreams, and you know what we  
are. Sure, we Dream the same things and Dream being the same person, since  
we're clones, but we still Dream."  
  
Duo leaned closer, the grin on his face mischevious, like he was about to  
play a trick on someone, "And y'know what? You're in our Dreams too."  
  
Duo jerked back as Heero abruptly stood up, his whole body shaking. His face  
was death-white.  
  
Duo stood up, and Solo was instantly at his side, holding Heero, making sure  
he didn't fall.  
  
Heero was shivering, "I have to get out of here..."  
  
Duo eased him back into the chair, "Hey, take it easy... you worry too much,  
y'know that... hey, calm down, will ya?"  
He struck Heero lightly across the cheek, startling the boy back into  
cohesive thought.  
  
There was no time to react, for at that moment, Zechs burst into the room.  
  
Immediately, Heero turned to Zechs, repeating his plea.  
  
Zechs nodded hurriedly, "We'll let you leave as soon as this problem is  
settled. And then, only if you agree to report back here tomorrow for  
further tests. We'll be monitoring you." He shook his head, "That aside..."  
He looked at the two Maxwells.  
  
"Duo, Solo. You're needed."  
  
He eyed the two, walking into the room and activating the screen at the  
opposite end. The screen activated, bringing up the view from a surveillance  
camera. Heero studied it carefully, and recognition passed before his eyes.  
The surveillance camera was monitoring the abandoned warehouse that served  
as the cover for this installation. This was where Duo had driven into and  
taken the elevator down to where they were now.  
  
Only now, the warehouse wasn't so empty.  
  
In the center of the chamber, twenty soldiers wearing the uniform of the  
Euro-American Military Defense Force stood, weapons at the ready, spreading  
out from a single armored personnel carrier that had apparently smashed  
through the front gates of the warehouse.  
  
Hurriedly, Zechs filled them in on what had happened.  
  
"We've been monitoring all the usual frequencies, and five minutes after the  
assassination attempt on Heero, a Lieutenant Trowa Barton reporting in to  
the Defense Force Headquarters stating a failure of some kind. He gave a  
series of coordinates which corresponds to where Heero was nearly killed,  
and apparently described the vehicle you were driving, Duo. The police were  
alerted, and you were followed back here. The police informed the  
military... and now they're here."  
  
He looked at Heero.  
  
"To capture you."  
  
Heero's heart started pounding again, his voice anxious, "What for?! I  
haven't done anything?! What's going on?!!"  
  
Zechs muttered something under his breath, Heero barely made out the words.  
  
"...haven't done anything... yet."  
  
To Heero, Zechs said more clearly, "The doctors promised you... we'd protect  
you against those who'd want to hurt you. And we keep our promises. Duo.  
Solo." He turned to the two.  
  
The two Maxwells were waiting expectantly.  
  
Zechs nodded.  
  
"Dispose of the intruders."  
  
*****  
  
Heero and Zechs sat, watching the screen, watching as the soldiers spread  
out, trying to clear the area. They could hear the faint audio pick-up of  
the orders their commander was issuing them.  
  
All of a sudden, one of them was yelling, pointing at something near the  
ceiling. Zechs adjusted the camera.  
  
Duo, his black windbreaker flapping in the breeze wafting in through the  
broken windows, standing motionless at the top of a pile of crates stacked  
nearly fifty feet high.  
  
All the soldiers had their weapons trained on Duo now, who still wasn't  
moving.  
  
Heero frowned, wondering what the fool was up to, not wanting to watch, yet  
unable to tear his eyes away.  
  
They were shouting at Duo now, ordering him to come down and surrender.  
  
Heero thought he saw Duo smirk faintly, but it was gone in a flash, replaced  
with a grim, expressionless mask, unlike the usual cheery persona Duo  
portrayed. His mouth moved, and the surveillance camera picked it up.  
  
"Seems like you guys chose the wrong place to park."  
  
With that, he leapt off the crates, landing deftly on the ground, unfazed  
and unhurt. Moving like lightning, Duo tore through the first two soldiers,  
leaving behind lifeless sacks of flesh dropped on the ground. Even as he  
moved towards the third, one hand grabbing hold of the helpless guy's head  
and smashing it hard against the ground, shouts could be heard from the  
soldiers on the opposite end of the warehouse. Intermittent gunfire could be  
heard, and  
Zechs trained the camera over on that end, focusing just as Solo snapped a  
rifle in half and stabbed the rifle's owner with it. Two soldiers tried to  
tackle him from behind, one grabbing hold of him and trying to pin him down  
while the other tried to choke him from behind with a chain. Solo's hand  
came up, grabbed hold of the chain around his neck and snapped it. He  
backhanded the man to the throat, crushing his windpipe. He turned upon the  
guy trying to pin him down, and sent him flying with a massive blow to the  
gut.  
  
Heero winced, turning away from the screen. In a small voice, he asked  
Zechs, "Why are you making me watch this?"  
  
Zechs shook his head, "I wanted you to see... that we can defend you against  
anything the enemy will send to hunt you down. You are important... more  
important than you can imagine... and if we have to do this...", he pointed  
to the screen, "...ten times over, to keep you from harm, we would."  
  
Heero sighed, and shuddered, looking at the screen, "They seem... to...  
enjoy it."  
  
Zechs stared at him, "You couldn't be more wrong, Heero. Killing people  
takes its toll on Duo and Solo. Remember that they were programmed with the  
personality of Blake Richardson, may his soul rest in peace, and he was far  
from a violent person. Duo and Solo aren't violent, either, but they are  
programmed to be completely committed to duty, and to perform to the best of  
their ability. And when duty requires them to kill... they kill. Sister  
always has the hardest time maintaining and repairing them after a mission  
that involves killing... the emotional trauma plays havoc with the implanted  
circuits... she won't be very pleased after this one. Neither will Duo or  
Solo. We know they hate to do this, but we have no choice. They are our best  
defence. If we sent our staff, the enemy will be killed, but so will some of  
our staff. By using Solo and Duo, we're killing less. They're the better of  
bad choices."  
  
A different sound turned their attention back to the screen. Apparently, Duo  
and Solo had decimated the entire force, save one person. He was on his  
knees, crying and begging, pleading. Duo was standing in front of him. Solo  
was no where to be seen. Duo was watching the man sob, beg. The surveillance  
camera picked up some words, something about '...a wife and kids.', and Duo  
just stood there, his face blank.  
  
Heero was sitting on edge, tense, his heart pounding.  
  
He saw Duo smile at the man, and place a hand on his shoulder.  
  
Heero sighed in relief.  
  
Duo's expression hardened, and the hand on the shoulder crushed. He let the  
man drop, lifeless.  
  
Heero's heart clenched. His mouth fell open, and he turned to Zechs.  
  
*Duo...*  
  
Zechs shook his head, "He's not to blame, Heero. Duo and Solo are programmed  
to follow instructions to the letter. If they were told to eliminate  
something, they would do it without question.... even through guilt, through  
pain and hurt."  
  
Heero turned away, and he whispered, "He's not the one I blame."  
  
The Asian youth stood up, "Can I leave now? I.... have an appointment."  
  
Zechs stared at the boy for a full moment, "Yes... but remember the  
conditions." He paused.  
  
"Don't you want to wait for Duo before you leave?"  
  
Heero was already walking out the door.  
  
"I don't think he'd want to see me right now."  
  
*****  
  
Heero Yuy studied himself in the mirror at his apartment. He had traded his  
t-shirt and jeans for a more presentable dark blue long-sleeved shirt,  
rolled up to his elbows for that casual look, complemented with a snugly  
fitting pair of dark black trousers. Inside, he kicked himself for actually  
agreeing to go out with Misako, even if he had done it in a moment of  
confusion. The girl had been trying to get a date with him since the first  
day she had set eyes on him, and he had evaded her since. Until now.  
  
He gave a small grunt. As if he didn't have enough problems already. To add  
insult to injury, the tap controlling the heat of his shower had snapped off  
the moment he touched it, leaving him to bathe in freezing cold water. Yet  
another bill to pay.  
  
Giving his hair a few quick brushes out of custom more than any real attempt  
at trying to control it, he jumped a little when the doorbell to his  
apartment rang. Making a quick last minute check, he dashed to the door,  
hoping that the evening wouldn't drag on.  
  
*****  
  
Heero eyed the restaurant they were standing in front of suspiciously.  
  
He turned to the chirpy girl, next to him, her deep black hair gelled into  
sharp little spikes looking out of place with the psychedelic  
green-pink-yellow-red dress she was wearing. Not to mention the extra-large  
nosering she had put on 'especially for this occasion'.  
  
He suppressed the urge to laugh, managing to ask, "Misako, what made you  
choose this place?" Heero knew the place. It was reknowned throughout the  
city, and certainly not for the quality of the food served there. Heero  
didn't know if he'd be able to eat anything, knowing just exactly was going  
on in the 'private suites'.  
  
She stuck her tongue out at Heero playfully, "I like the ambience. It's  
very... seductive." She winked at him.  
  
He glowered at her slightly, "Hn."  
  
She looked surprised, "What was that? I've never heard -that- before."  
  
He quirked an eyebrow, "Something wrong with it?"  
  
Inside, his thoughts were different. *What the hell was that? 'Hn'? What  
kind of sound is that, anyway? What's it supposed to mean?! Why not 'hmph'?  
Why am I even thinking about this?*  
  
Misako broke his thoughts with a quick, almost violent shake of her head,  
"No...no... don't get me wrong... I like it..." She grinned cheekily, "It  
sounds... sexy."  
  
Heero flushed a deep red, and Misako laughed, dragging him into the  
restaurant.  
  
*****  
  
Making their way to their table, Heero heard a shout over the din inside the  
restaurant, over the racous laughter and dirty jokes being told. It sounded  
like...  
  
"Misako! Over here!"  
  
He turned in the direction of the sound, and saw a young girl waving at  
them. She was dressed rather formally, in a shimmering green gown that  
suited a ball more than a seedy restaurant. She looked resplendent,  
especially with the short-cropped dark blue hair, the slight fringe  
accentuated by a pair of pearls adorning her ears. He pointed her out to  
Misako, who squealed a little and started waving back madly before rushing  
over, dragging Heero with her.  
  
After what seemed like an eternity of hugging, Misako finally unwrapped her  
arms from the lady in the gown, and looked at Heero, "Heero, I want you to  
meet my guidance counselor and best friend, Hilde Schbecker. Hilde, this is  
my really really close friend, Heero Yuy. We're taking the same course at  
the university."  
  
The lady named Hilde stood up, smiling at Heero as she extended a gloved  
hand, speaking in a warm voice, "It's nice to finally meet you, Heero.  
Misako has been telling me many... interesting things about you."  
  
Heero raised an eyebrow, "I'm... sure she has." Taking her hand, shaking it  
gently, he smiled back, "A pleasure to meet you, Miss Schbecker."  
  
Misako bounced a little, "What are you doing here? I didn't think you would  
come to places like this."  
  
Hilde smiled, "One of the people I'm counseling encountered a problem here,  
so I came to talk to her. She was in a mess, crying and everything. I  
finally got her back on her feet and her dad just picked her up. I'm waiting  
for my fiance. I just called him and he was in the area so he said he'd come  
and fetch me."  
  
Misako squealed, "You're engaged! You never told me!! Who's the lucky guy?"  
  
Hilde laughed softly, "You'll see. He'll be here any moment."  
  
"Hilde! There you are!"  
  
Heero's eyes widened.  
  
*No...*  
  
He turned...  
  
Duo Maxwell stood there, decked out in his usual black garb, grinning for  
all he was worth.  
  
Heero stared at him, ignoring the faint sounds Misako was making as she  
ogled the newcomer.  
  
Hilde stood up, allowing Duo to draw her into an embrace and a kiss, smiling  
beautifully, before turning to Heero and Misako.  
  
She nodded at them, "Heero, Misako, I want you to meet my fiance, Blake  
Richardson."  
  
Heero could only stare.  
  
*Duo, what the hell are you playing at?*  
  
*****  
  
CHAPTER FOUR - REVELATIONS  
  
Content Guideline - all ages  
  
April 17th AC 195 Los Angeles 7:25pm  
  
Heero Yuy could do nothing but stare at the braided youth grinning at him.  
The braided youth Hilde had just introduced to him as 'Blake Richardson'.  
  
*What the hell are you playing at, Duo?*  
  
Duo grinned at him widely, thrusting a hand in his direction, "Nice to meet  
you, Heero."  
  
Warily, Heero took the proffered hand, shaking it lightly, "As it is to meet  
you... Blake."  
  
Vaguely, he heard a small sigh escape from the person beside him. Turning to  
her, his eyes narrowed as they caught sight of Misako still ogling Duo.  
Recalling that this was why he'd been trying so hard to avoid her, he shook  
his head in vague amusement.  
  
Realizing after a moment that all three of them were now looking at her,  
Misako jerked out of her Duo-addled state, and grinned madly, her black eyes  
brightening, "Hey! Since we're all here, why don't we all have dinner  
together?!"  
  
Duo grinned, "That sounds like a plan. I'm famished."  
  
*****  
  
April 17th AC 195 Los Angeles Outskirts 7:35pm  
  
Quatre Raberba Winner stared contemplatively at the stark gray walls of the  
waiting area the two strangely-dressed girls had ushered him into. The  
furniture in the room was spartan, at best, and he chose a small chair  
nestled in one of the corners.  
  
He barely had time to sit down when the feeling struck him. There were  
people heading this way. Shaking his head violently, breathing heavily,  
trying anything that would drive the voice and the feeling away, he hoped  
and prayed that he was wrong, that he would be wrong. He began to count.  
  
"5..."  
  
"4..."  
  
"3..."  
  
"2..."  
  
"1..."  
  
The door slid open, and Quatre winced as though he had been struck.  
Grimacing, he looked up, gazing at the six people gathered in front of him.  
All seemed in their middle years, except for the one in the lead, a young  
man with shoulder-length white-blond hair. All were wearing the same stark  
white uniform.  
  
The tall man in the front came forward, smiling warmly, "Mr. Winner, you  
have no idea how glad we are to finally meet the one who so generously  
agreed to fund our cause."  
  
Quatre gritted his teeth into an unpleasant smile, "Your Mr. Maxwell was  
very... convincing."  
  
The tall man nodded his head in agreement, "Solo is a very charismatic young  
man."  
  
The young blond muttered something under his breath, before looking up at  
those standing in front of him, "Well, I think it rather obvious that you  
know who I am... but I haven't a clue as to who you are, or why part of our  
'agreement' was that I come down all the way here."  
  
One of the older men in the rear walked forward, a strange pair of  
spectacles seemingly embedded on his face. When he spoke, his voice was  
deep.  
  
"Mr. Winner... Quatre... our names are not important. If you must, I am J...  
this is O... H... S and G. And he is Zechs, our director of operations. And  
as for why we requested you come..."  
  
Quatre blinked as another of the older men approached. He was bald, and had  
a warm smile on his face, "We have asked you to come... because we would  
like to examine you."  
  
A third came forward, the one introduced as H, "We are scientists... and in  
our business, one tends to hear a lot of rumors... It just so happens that  
one of those rumors happen to be about you. Believe me when I say we mean  
you no harm. We simply wish to confirm... our suspicions."  
  
Quatre eyed the five carefully, and the voice decided to manifest itself,  
quiet, yet resounding inside Quatre's head as loud as a gong.  
  
**Careful... they're hiding something... They speak the truth... but they  
are holding something back...**  
  
*Go away! I don't need you!!*  
  
Vaguely, he heard a concerned voice asking a question, and he opened his  
eyes. And realized that he had been clutching his heart. He looked up at the  
one who had asked the question, the one called J.  
  
"I'm fine. If you must do some... examination, let's get on with it. I'm a  
very busy person."  
  
The five scientists smiled.  
  
*****  
  
Heero eased the door to the bathroom open quietly, peeping inside. Catching  
sight of his target, he pushed the door open the rest of the way, striding  
in forcefully, walking until he stood behind the braided youth preening  
himself in  
front of the mirror. Heero wrinkled his nose up in disgust. The smell in  
here was appalling, no doubt because a number of cubicles were in desperate  
need of repair. Though not as desperate as some of those who had  
chosen to use the cubicles anyway.  
  
Duo grinned at Heero's reflection in the mirror, "Hilde's really somethin',  
ain't she?"  
  
Heero just stared at him.  
  
The braided youth looked at him through the mirror for a moment, then  
turned to face Heero, "What's wrong?"  
  
"She called you Blake."  
  
Duo quirked an eyebrow, "Oh... that." Turning away, he resumed toying with  
his hair.  
  
"I want to know what you're up to with Hilde, Duo. I want to know what  
they've put you up to this time."  
  
Duo turned back violently, his face creased into a frown.  
  
"I'm not playing any games, Heero. I'm trying to protect her. You see...  
when it comes down to it, the very essence of me... I am still Blake  
Richardson... and I know what he knew, as does Solo. And Blake knew that  
Hilde was a very sensitive person. She was very attached to Blake... she  
still is. If she ever found out... if she ever finds out... that Blake is  
dead, and the one she now thinks to be her fiance is a clone of her real  
love... I don't know how she'll react. She may kill herself. And I... we...  
the organization can't let her die. Not yet. Which is why I'm seeing her.  
Which is why she thinks I'm Blake..."  
  
Duo looked deep into Heero's eyes.  
  
"And... because..."  
  
"I... love her. As much as Blake ever did."  
  
Heero looked at the braided youth, unsure of what to say. When he did speak,  
it was a question.  
  
"Does... Solo love her too?"  
  
Duo nodded, "Yes... both of us inherited that from Blake. It was a very  
strong love... Hilde was very lucky to have someone like him with her."  
  
Heero continued, "Does this mean that you and Solo take turns to see her and  
pretend to be Blake?"  
  
Duo looked down, "No... I'm the only one."  
  
Heero quirked an eyebrow, "Why not Solo?"  
  
Deep amethyst eyes penetrated Heero. Deep, hurt-filled eyes.  
  
"Because... he was ordered not to. That I was to be the one to maintain the  
illusion."  
  
Duo looked away, shivering.  
  
"He was ordered to put away his feelings... his emotions. That's why...  
although on the surface we seem the same... Solo is... very different from  
me. To people he doesn't know, even to the staff, and to Zechs and the  
scientists, he is every bit the same as me... but when we're alone, or with  
Sister... you see the real Solo. The one created by the order that he could  
not love. That he was not allowed to love."  
  
Heero shook his head, remembering what Zechs had told him while they watched  
Duo and Solo decimate the intruders trying to enter their organization's  
base of operations.  
  
*Duo and Solo are programmed to follow instructions to the letter. If they  
were told ...... something, they would do it without question.... even  
through guilt, through pain and hurt."  
  
Duo Maxwell shook his head, shuddering a little as he began walking out of  
the washroom. As he reached the door, his trademark smirk was firmly planted  
on his face again.  
  
*****  
  
Quatre Raberba Winner shivered as he lay on the examination table, a vast  
array of sensory equipment affixed to the ceiling above him. Shivered as he  
watched Zechs neatly place the folded pile of his clothes on the table at  
the side. Turning away from Zechs, unable to look him in the eye, he found  
himself looking at a large mirror. Looking at his naked form, spread out on  
the table for the world to see. He shuddered, looking away. Color rose in  
his cheeks.  
  
*Please... let this end.*  
  
The array of equipment above him began to hum, and the lights in the room  
dimmed in synchronization with the sensors, which now glowed brightly,  
casting its eerie illumination over Quatre and the table.  
  
On the other side of the mirror, five wizened heads drew closer to the  
screens in front of them, absorbing the flow of information like children  
attacking candy. Again, they began talking amongst themselves, their words  
gibberish to anyone apart from them.  
  
"Nothing... absolutely nothing."  
  
"In both regions..."  
  
"How could we be so wrong... the rumors..."  
  
"The reports said there were two of them. They never said who they were."  
  
"Wait. J, do you see it? There... in that corner..."  
  
"What about that? That region is inconsequential, G! You know that!"  
  
"Don't you see? The structure... the pattern... it's almost exactly like the  
blocks we saw on the Yuy kid."  
  
"Something's not right."  
  
"What is it, H?"  
  
"This block... it's not right. That region has nothing to do with  
either the physical or mental blocks. That region of his brain has  
absolutely no purpose! There's no reason for a block to exist there. And...  
the block isn't right. It's too chaotic. All artificial blocks are very  
systematic, very ordered. This one looks like it was hastily erected... if  
it wasn't humanly impossible, I'd say this kid created the block on his  
own."  
  
"On his own?"  
  
"For what purpose? The region, as you said, is of no importance."  
  
"That we know of, O. No importance that we know of."  
  
"Do you think we should release it, J? Like we did for Yuy?"  
  
"It might be educational. Do it."  
  
The one known as H depressed a button. Through the mirror, they watched as  
Quatre Raberba Winner gasped in shock, as his body tensed, breaking into  
convulsions, shaking violently on the table. His body went rigid, his veins  
looking ready to burst, his muscles cramping.  
  
H studied the screen carefully, his brow creasing into a frown as he watched  
the information flow.  
  
"Something's wrong... it's not..."  
  
Tears were flowing from Quatre's eye, streaming down his face, and he threw  
his head back, letting loose a cry, one of despair and pain.  
  
The array of equipment above him exploded into a burst of sparks, sparks  
that scattered across the room. The equipment went dead, spewing thick black  
smoke that fogged the room. Behind the mirror, the screens displaying the  
flow of information lit up the room with sparks of their own, before  
short-circuiting, the glass of the screens shattering and collapsing in,  
well-choreographed with the one-way mirror that crumbled into peices mere  
seconds later. All around the five scientists, equipment fused, and smoked,  
choking the room. The bright white illumination failed, replaced by the dim  
red lights that indicated that the back-up generators had been activated.  
  
The five scientists went silent, staring through the haze, at the young  
blond teen, lying motionless on the table in front of them.  
  
J found his voice.  
  
"This will certainly be... very... educational. He is not the second one...  
but this will be very educational."  
  
  
*****  
  
Heero Yuy watched with a barely concealed amusement, with an obvious  
fixation, as Duo Maxwell polished off his fourth plate of Chinese-style  
fried noodles. How could the kid eat so much? He was like a bottomless  
pit...  
  
His thoughts scattered as he heard Misako begin to speak. Turning to face  
her, he caught the tail end of her sentence... something like '...eat so  
much, yet stay so slim.' Something Duo was replying to with a mysterious  
grin. Heero quirked an eyebrow at her, even though she wasn't looking at him  
to  
begin with. He frowned. Come to think of it, she had barely glanced his way  
from the moment Duo stepped in.  
  
He grunted. At least there was one thing he could be thankful to Duo for.  
Maybe she would finally leave him alone.  
  
As Duo picked up his napkin and began wiping his mouth, Hilde stood up,  
resplendent in her green gown. She smiled at Misako and Heero, before taking  
Duo's arm in hers, "We should really be going. Blake wanted to catch that  
new movie that's showing down at Central.... some martial arts flick... what  
was it called?"  
  
Duo grinned as he joined Hilde, "The Dragon's Justice. A fitting title,  
especially considering the main lead."  
  
Heero blinked. Duo was a karate-movie freak? He never understood why anyone  
would pay to watch those exaggerated things to begin with. Quieting his  
thoughts, he simply said, "And who would that be?"  
  
Duo stared at him, his face the very essence of incredulity, managing to  
convey both surprise and indignance that someone could actually ask that  
question.  
  
The moment didn't last, and Duo soon reverted back to his trademark grin. He  
shrugged, "The one and only Chang Wufei, of course! I'm surprised you never  
heard of him, Heero. He may only be breaking into Hollywood now, but he's  
been a huge hit in the Asian Federation since his childhood."  
  
Heero raised an eyebrow.  
  
*Who the hell is Chang Wufei?*  
  
To Duo, he faked a knowing smile, nodding his head, "Oh, him... right."  
  
Hilde laughed softly, "Well, whatever the case, Blake, we're going to be  
late if you don't hurry. Misako, Heero, sorry for having to eat and run, but  
we can't make Blake unhappy, right?". She nuzzled Duo.  
  
Heero raised an eyebrow, "...right."  
  
Misako let loose another sigh as she watched Duo and Misako leave, arm in  
arm. Shrugging slightly, she turned back to Heero, the maniacal gleam back  
in her eye, as the distraction that was Duo left the vicinity. Heero  
shuddered, suddenly wishing that Duo hadn't left.  
  
Toying with his drink, he refused to look at Misako, speaking into his  
glass, "So... what do you want to do now?"  
  
She smiled at him, not too reassuringly, "Let's just stay here and talk a  
while." She swirled the deep amber liquid in her glass for a moment before  
putting the glass down, looking at the clear  
fizzy liquid in Heero's, "Are you... sure you don't want something  
stronger?"  
  
He stared at her, "I'm sure. I don't take alcohol very well."  
  
"Ah.", came the non-committal reply.  
  
She looked behind herself for a moment, and her hand reached out towards her  
glass. She squealed a little as her hand knocked into the glass, spilling  
the amber liquid over the table and on herself. Standing up suddenly, she  
tried to brush the stuff of herself, making small little squeals as she did.  
  
Heero could only sit there and stare, his face blushing at the commotion she  
was causing, at the way the other patrons looked at her. Even the ones who  
had previously been too interested in each other. The waiter glided over,  
fussing over the table, and replacing her drink, as Misako looked around  
vainly for a napkin or something. Looking at Heero, she asked if he could  
fetch her one.  
  
Heero stood up quickly, agreeing without hesistation. Anything to get away  
from here for a while, he thought.  
  
Misako grinned as she watched Heero turn his back and leave to search for  
the requested napkin. Diving into her handbag, she drew out a small  
foil-wrapped object. Peeling off the foil, she played with the small white  
pill for a second, before reaching over, and dropping it into Heero's drink.  
She watched as it interacted, fizzled with the drink, and dissolved.  
  
"Here you go."  
  
She jumped slightly, looking up at Heero standing next to her. Taking the  
proffered napkin, she muttered her thanks, and sat down, wiping herself off.  
  
Heero sat back down, his hand reaching for his glass.  
  
Misako busied herself with removing the amber-colored stains.  
  
He swirled the drink in his hand.  
  
She studied him carefully out of the corner of her eye.  
  
He took a huge gulp of the fizzy liquid, swallowing.  
  
She grinned madly.  
  
Putting away the napkin, she leaned closer to Heero, who was still looking  
at her.  
  
"So, Heero-kun, we never ever get a chance to talk! Tell me about yourself!"  
  
Heero sighed, shrugging a little, "There really isn't much to say about...  
me. I'm much like you, I guess..."  
  
He paused, a confused look creasing his face.  
  
She leaned closer in anticipation, "You guess what?"  
  
Heero broke into a mad grin, "I guess I'm feeling really really really  
really great, don't you think?"  
  
She laughed, looking at her watch. Right on the dot. As promised. She would  
have to thank her friend majoring in chemistry for that concentrate.  
  
She looked at Heero again, who was now standing up somewhat shakily, still  
grinning for all he was worth. He started prancing around the table,  
laughing to himself, dragging Misako up. His eyes were lit up with laughter  
as he danced madly around the table with Misako. Fortunately, most of the  
patrons didn't even blink an eye. One was expected to get drunk or high  
here. Or worse.  
  
Misako smiled as she allowed her to be pulled into the dance, "What say we  
find a... quieter place, Heero? There are some wonderful... suites upstairs.  
Perfect for... dancing."  
  
Heero continued to grin at her, speaking shakily, "That... that sounds...  
like.. a... pl... plan." He wobbled on his feet.  
  
  
*****  
  
April 18th AC 195 7:30am Central District General Hospital, Los  
Angeles  
  
Heero stared blankly at the nurse behind the counter. He looked down at the  
form placed in front of him. He looked up at the nurse again. She stared  
back at him. And handed him a pen.  
  
His head hurt. The last thing he remembered was getting Misako a napkin...  
sitting down again... total blank.  
  
The next thing he knew, he came to in the visitor area of this hospital,  
with the nurse behind the counter yelling his name. He had shakily walked  
over to the counter, his head ready to burst. And she had slapped two sheets  
of paper in front of him. He studied the forms carefully, his brain not  
fully focused yet.  
  
One was a form, a declaration that the signed party would pay for all  
expenses incurred during the patient's stay. He glanced at the name on the  
form. *Why the hell am I paying to admit Misako into hospital?*  
  
The other was a bill from the restaurant they had been last night.  
Apparently, in the course of the evening, someone had forgotten to pay the  
bill. He muttered, scanning down the list. He raised an eyebrow. And  
blinked. How could the meal come up to almost eight hundred dollars?! Sure,  
Duo ate a lot, but... his eyes narrowed.  
  
*Why the hell am I paying for a bed and 'assorted other damages'?*  
  
He blinked. The haze was lifting from his mind. Vague memories were coming  
back. His jaw dropped.  
  
*Oh, shit.*  
  
*****  
  
The door to the elevator opened, admitting a somewhat dishevelled looking  
Heero. He blinked as he looked around the complex he had only been  
acquainted to yesterday. Strange. He remembered the place being a lot  
brighter. Looking closer, he noticed that a number of the flourescent lights  
in the ceiling had blown and needed to be replaced. A number were  
flickering. He walked over to Zechs, who was standing behind the glass doors  
leading into the complex proper, standing behind a console. Nodding at  
Heero, Zechs pressed the button that would release the locks on the doors,  
to admit Heero.  
  
Nothing happened. He pressed again.  
  
Silence.  
  
Grumbling to himself, Zechs walked over to the door, reaching into his  
pocket to retreive a key, which he fitted into the door and opened in one  
swift motion.  
  
Heero walked through, eyeing Zechs, "What happened?"  
  
Zechs sighed, "We experienced a... massive power surge yesterday. Almost  
everything connected to the power grid shorted out, computers, scanners,  
terminals, even Solo was hurt quite badly from the surge, he was being  
repaired by Sister at the time. Half the lights need to be repaired, and the  
main generator melted from the strength of the surge. We're hooked up to a  
standby generator that the professors brought in this morning."  
  
Heero raised an eyebrow, "The generator malfunctioned."  
  
Zechs looked away, "Not... quite." He shook his head, "It doesn't concern  
you. Everything is under control. And the professors want to see you. They  
have something to say to you today."  
  
Heero nodded, and let Zechs lead the way.  
  
*****  
  
Walking down the long corridor leading to their destination, Heero tapped  
his fingers on the side of his leg. He looked at Zechs, who was now talking  
to Relena. She had intercepted them along the way, and had taken the  
opportunity to clarify certain matters with Zechs. Of course, beyond Heero's  
hearing range. The girl was far too suspicious.  
  
Sighing, he watched as Zechs broke into a small laugh, as their conversation  
ended. Relena smiled at him, scowled at Heero, and departed in silence.  
  
Heero watched her go.  
  
"So, Heero, don't you have anything you want to ask? Since we've met, you've  
been full of questions."  
  
Heero turned to Zechs, looking at him strangely. This was the first time the  
man had offered any information. Everyone here was way too secretive.  
  
"What's the name of this organization? What is your purpose?"  
  
Zechs only smiled, "We call ourselves... 'Veritas', Heero. In Latin, it  
means 'truth'. Our organization stands for truth. As for your purpose  
though... that, you'll have to wait for the scientists to tell you."  
  
"What do they want with me?"  
  
The white-blond shook his head, shrugging a little.  
  
Heero grunted, "Okay, in that case... who is this Sister you people keep on  
talking about?"  
  
Zechs laughed, "Alright, that I -can- tell you. Better yet, I can show you.  
The scientists can wait. They don't know what time you'd decide to show up  
anyway."  
  
Turning left, Zechs led him into a smaller corridor with only one circular  
door at the end. The door was painted bright red, and clearly marked against  
unauthorized access. The white-blond keyed in three seperate passwords, and  
the door opened with a loud hiss, opening like the aperture of a camera,  
it's opening marked by a loud siren.  
  
Inside, he saw Solo, lying fully garbed in a depression inside a large white  
apparatus, his eyes closed. The boy was breathing lightly, and he appeared  
in pain, even though not awake. There were lights blinking on the apparatus,  
and a status monitor appeared to be updating progress on his repair. An  
identical depression lay empty next to him, no doubt for Duo.  
  
Zechs smiled, "There you go, Heero. That's Sister."  
  
Heero stared at the device, scrutinizing it, listening as Zechs gave a  
running commentary.  
  
"Sister is the lifeline of Solo and Duo. Without her, we would not be able  
to maintain the two of them. Modified from Professor Maxwell's original  
cybernetic placement, repair and construction device, she is used now to  
maintain and repair, to nurture Solo and Duo. Even while repairing their  
cybernetic defects, and maintaining the parts of them that are flesh, Sister  
is also nourishing them mentally, stimulating impulses in their brains, the  
same impulses that would have been triggered by that of love and affection  
received from a parent. In essence, Sister is like a foster mother to Solo  
and Duo. They cannot live without her."  
  
Heero could only look at the device, wondering how something like that could  
replace the warmth and affection of maternal love. He shook his head, his  
thoughts now on his own mother, back in Tokyo. It had been nearly two years  
since he last saw her... he really should go back and visit. If only he  
could find the time...  
  
Zechs broke his train of thought with a hand on his shoulder.  
  
"Let's go."  
  
*****  
  
Heero stared at the five scientists seated in a row in front of him, behind  
the large ornate table, inside the huge bright room he had first met them.  
He fidgeted uncomfortably. Standing in front of them like this was too  
reminiscent of being tried in front of a tribunal.  
  
After several lengthy moments of silence, J spoke up, "Heero Yuy."  
  
Heero blinked a little, and nodded in acknowledgement.  
  
The scientist continued, "We have concluded our examinations of you, and  
that, with all the other information we have gathered, has allowed us to  
reach a conclusion.  
  
He looked the boy straight in the eye.  
  
"You are the one we have been looking for."  
  
He pressed a button, and the same blue light that had washed over him during  
his examination caught him, and took hold of him. Unlike the first, there  
was no sense-numbing shock or pain, rather, it felt like someone had opened  
his skull, and was proceeding to stab his brain with needles. Many many  
needles. Heero fell to the floor, his hands clutching his head. A soft wail  
escaped his throat.  
  
In a second, it was all over, and Heero lay on the ground, breathing  
heavily. The fear and the shock was rapidly diminishing, replaced by a fury.  
Leaping up, he glared at the five seated in front of him. He began taking  
slow purposeful strides.  
  
"I don't care who the f--- you think you are, but I don't like what you're  
doing to me one bit! I want you to tell me everything! Now!"  
  
Zechs snapped his fingers, and two large-sized men in the same white robes  
entered the room. Each placed a beefy hand on each of Heero's arms,  
restraining him.  
  
Heero's gaze glared at both of them, and his fists came up in a  
lightning-quick backhand that sent both men flying, slamming both  
unconscious into the wall.  
  
With the fury of the moment still burning in him, he turned back to the  
scientists, even while a small vestige of his mind was screaming at him,  
screaming for answers, answers for what was happening, answers for how he  
had done that. He suppressed the thoughts. The fury was all.  
  
J pressed another button, and a glowing white field took hold of Heero,  
immobilizing him. The boy grunted, and struggled, and the field crackled  
visibly. H stared, a little worriedly, at the console in front of him, "That  
restraint isn't going to hold him much longer."  
  
J looked Heero directly in the eyes, "Look, Heero..."  
  
Heero glared back, "No, J! I'm not going to look! I want answers and I want  
them now! If I don't get them by the time I'm out of this restraint... I'm  
sure I'll find a way to -thank- you for whatever it is you've done to me!"  
One hand broke free of the restraining field.  
  
"Very well, then."  
  
Heero blinked, and stopped struggling, "What?"  
  
"We'll give you the answers you're looking for."  
  
*****  
  
Heero rubbed his wrist unconsciously. Breaking out of that restraining field  
had hurt... a bit.  
  
J eyed the young boy seated in front of him. The young boy who was waiting  
for some answers.  
  
"We have done nothing to you, Heero."  
  
Heero gazed at the scientist coolly, "You want me to believe that? All of a  
sudden I can throw men larger than me around like Duo does, and break out of  
restraining fields like it were an ordinary affair, and you want me to  
believe that you did nothing to me?" He laughed throatily, "Give me a break.  
I wasn't born yesterday."  
  
J looked at Heero, as did all the other scientists, "Let me explain. But  
first, I need you to tell me a bit about yourself, Heero. Tell me about...  
your life before you came to Los Angeles... about your parents and family."  
  
Heero quirked an eyebrow at J, "What for?"  
  
"Just do it, Heero."  
  
The boy muttered something under his breath, "I don't see why, but if it'll  
get me the answers I'm looking for, then, okay..."  
  
He began, "I..."  
  
And stopped.  
  
A growing tinge of worry overcame him.  
  
*Why can't I remember?! It was all clear as day! I was from... my parents  
were...*  
  
His face contorted with fury, and he slammed a fist down on the table,  
cracking it visibly, "Just now... when I entered! That field you used on me!  
What was that?! Where are my memories?!! Why can't I remember anything?!  
Tell me!!"  
  
J looked at him calmly, "That field removed a... block that was placed in  
your mind. We had planned on removing it yesterday, but we could not,  
because we did not know how to counter the reason the block was put there in  
the first place. But with some minor modifications, we have been now been  
able to remove both the mental block, and the danger beneath it."  
  
Heero's eyes narrowed, "What are you talking about? What block? What I want  
to know about is where all my memories have gone!"  
  
J smiled sadly, "You have no memories, Heero. What we removed yesterday  
during the examination was what we call a physical block, inside the part of  
your brain that controlled all physical, motor functions in your body. It  
was placed there to keep your real physical strength in rein, to keep in  
under control. In essence, it was to hide what you really were, until they  
were ready to use you. We had to release that, because such blocks, when  
left there over a prolonged time, would eventually build enough stress on  
the body that you would just have collapsed and died one day, and no  
post-mortem would be able to tell why. What we had to leave, until just a  
few moments ago, was the mental block. There was another small region of  
your brain that was blocked off. This block took the form of implanted  
memories, and over that they placed an implanted personality to assist the  
artificial memories they gave you. In essence, think of it like this. The  
first layer, underneath, is your real identity, and real purpose here. Above  
that, there is a thin layer of false memories, this is the mental block  
keeping your real purpose hidden, unknown even to you. On top of that is  
layered your personality as you see it now - Heero Yuy, the young university  
student trying to make a living in Los Angeles."  
  
Heero was breathing heavily now, "I..." He shook his head violently.  
  
J cut him off, "What we've done is to remove the mental block, and the  
original purpose behind it, leaving behind the layer of personality that is  
you now. Your memories about home, about your family, your parents, your  
life before you came here, all of that is false. None of it ever happened.  
It was all placed in your mind, part of the greater secret of what you are  
really here for, part of the best disguise an assassin can possibly use. The  
one of actual innocence."  
  
Heero blinked, "I'm... an assassin."  
  
J pressed a button, and the screen behind him lit up. The seal of the Asian  
Federation was prominent on the top of the page, and was the blinking red  
'SECRET' flashing in the corner. A photo of Heero was on the page, along  
with some scant information.  
  
"You are Heero Yuy, they kept your name at least. Everything else about you,  
your history, where you're from, any family, everything has been erased from  
the Asian Federation's database. As far as they are concerned, you do not  
exist any more, so the offical records are of no use to us. This is what we  
managed to gather through our surveillance networks in that part of the  
world. You apparently signed up with the military a year back. You were  
assigned to a naval base in Okinawa, before being transferred almost  
immediately to a high-level installation somewhere in Korea. After that, no  
records of any kind can be found about you for over six months, before you  
reappear, having been transferred to another high-level installation, this  
time in Indonesia. Two months after that, you apparently get assigned back  
to Okinawa, and nothing else is heard of you. And you appear here, a  
university student in Los Angeles."  
  
Heero stared blankly at the five, at a loss of words.  
  
"What we had suspected, from all the rumors and information, was that you  
were part of a program that the Asian Federation was trying to develop, one  
so secretive that if it ever leaked out..." He paused, "You are familiar  
with the genetic engineering project undertaken in After Century year 182 by  
the Euro-American Alliance?"  
  
A nod from Heero.  
  
"The same genetic-engineering project the Asian Federation denounced so  
strongly and violently, they even threatened war?"  
  
Another nod.  
  
"Well... it seems that they've been developing one of their own. And you  
were the first test subject."  
  
Heero could only stare.  
  
J continued, rubbing his cheek, "It seems that the Asian Federation never  
really got over losing the last war, and being forced into submission, into  
signing the peace agreement that has lasted us for over two centuries now.  
The greatest blow was the loss of their research and development rights.  
They had been making such great strides, especially in the space program. In  
fact, from the scientific viewpoint, it was a great loss. You know how  
there's been all this talk recently about the recently discovered LaGrange  
points, and how it might be theoretically possible to construct space  
colonies at these locations? Well... all our evidence suggests that, as far  
back as two centuries ago, the Asian Federation might have had the ability  
to do it, if they had been allowed to continue with their research  
programs."  
  
J shrugged, "So they seethed for two centuries, all the while pretending to  
submit, even while plotting quietly, researching quietly. They abandoned  
unnecessary research, concentrating on several key areas. One of those areas  
came into fruition last year. You are the culmination of a lot of hard work,  
and evil intent, on that part."  
  
He laughed softly, "I'm actually quite impressed that they got such results  
out of you. From the examination yesterday, and from what we've seen, you  
are easily a match for our own Duo or Solo here... you might even be able to  
win in a fight, if you knew how. Of course, Duo & Solo have other  
augmentations that are superior to yours, all their senses are far more  
acute, but we're not here to talk about that."  
  
Heero managed hoarsely, "What are we here to talk about?"  
  
J eyed him carefully, "We are here to talk about why you were sent here."  
  
"We analyzed the original purpose beneath the mental block before we removed  
it. You are here as an assassin. You would work under the guise of a  
university student for a period of time, and you would have been inclined to  
follow your fellow students on a five-day study workshop to the capital,  
that had been planned for mid-June. Once there, one of their agents would  
have intercepted you, and sent the trigger signal to release the blocks, and  
revealing the real you. From there, you were to assassinate the President,  
the Vice-President, the Secretary of State, and the Secretary of Defense.  
Exactly as she said."  
  
Heero's eyes narrowed, "Exactly as who said?"  
  
J ignored him, caught up with what he was saying, "If you had succeeded, it  
would have meant the end of everything. Do you remember the assassin who  
tried to kill you when Duo met you? He is Lieutenant Trowa Barton, one of  
the finest snipers in the Alliance military. That he was targeting you means  
that the Euro-American Alliance knows that you exist, and the purpose of  
your presence here. We could not let you go ahead with the Asian  
Federation's plan, but we could not have you killed. She said you were the  
'key to restoring everything'. If you had succeeded however, and  
assassinated all those leaders, the Euro-American Alliance would've pointed  
their collective finger at the Asian Federation. Tensions would escalate.  
Within two year, we would have been at war with each other. In five years,  
no human would be left alive on Earth. We would have annihilated ourselves  
completely."  
  
Heero tried to interject, "How do you know all this? What is going...?"  
  
J spoke right over him, "Even now, the threat is not over. You have been  
rescued from your fate, and you are with us now, I hope, to help restore  
everything. But the threat is not over. You were the first. You were not the  
only one. Another, like you, is here, somewhere in Los Angeles, like you,  
living a false life, thinking he's nothing more than he really is now, right  
until the point that his life takes him to the capital, and..."  
  
J looked Heero in the eye, "We have to find him. She says that all this can  
be averted... all this isn't supposed to be. She says she knows... we need  
your help to find this other..."  
  
Heero nearly yelled at the scientist, "Who is this 'She'? How does she know  
all this? How do YOU know all this? How can you trust her?!"  
  
J's answer was simple and to the point.  
  
"We trust her, Heero... because... she doesn't have the Dreams. No one,  
Heero, no one in the last two hundred years has NOT experienced the Dreams.  
Until her."  
  
Heero was quiet.  
  
"Who is she?"  
  
J nodded to H, "Let me show you." H got up, walked over to a side-door and  
opened it. He leaned inside, calling for someone. Heero heard faint  
footsteps. A person stepped out of the shadows.  
  
Heero gasped. The woman was in her middle-years, close to forty. She looked  
a little frail, thin, but through the creases and wrinkles of age, she was  
recognizable. The green shimmering gown looked as resplendent on her now as  
it did the night before.  
  
He was looking at Hilde Schbecker. Not the same Hilde he had met last night,  
not the Hilde that was smitten with Blake Richardson. She smiled at him, a  
small, sad, wistful smile. Her eyes were bright, but deep pain cut through  
them like a sword. This woman had gone through a lot of pain in her life.  
This was not the same cheerful woman he had met. Definitely not.  
  
His mind numbed. *If this isn't the same Hilde... who the hell is she?*  
  
*****  
  
EPILOGUE  
  
Quatre breathed heavily as he stood at the balcony of his second-story hotel  
room, staring out at the street below. He was still shivering, not from  
cold, it was still too hot for that, but from fear, and from confusion. He  
looked at his hands, shaking his head.  
  
*What have they done to me?*  
  
*Tell me it's not true...*  
  
**You know it's true, Quatre... it's always been true. You've only been  
fooling yourself.*  
  
For the first time, Quatre spoke to the voice. He didn't yell at it, or try  
to shout it down. He spoke to it.  
  
*I have, haven't I?*  
  
He looked at the car he had rented, parked on the street corner below.  
Watched as pedestrians hurried by.  
  
*How do I know it wasn't all a dream? Or a Dream?*  
  
**Use it. Once you see for yourself... you can't deny it anymore.**  
  
Quatre sighed. One hand lifted up, and he focused his thoughts. A bright  
glow seemed to flare up around his hand, lighting up the balcony. In an  
instant, the glow winked out, and Quatre reeled back, sucking in air  
sharply. Gathering himself up, he leaned over the balcony, looking down at  
the street. Nothing seemed to be happening.  
  
All of a sudden, there was a resounding *thoom*. A deep crack lanced through  
the center of the road, growing rapidly both ways for a mile in each  
direction.  
  
Quatre shook his head softly.  
  
*Why did this have to happen to me?*  
  
*Why?*  
  
*****  
  
CHAPTER FIVE - REFLECTIONS  
  
Content Guideline - Safe.  
  
April 18th After Century Year 195 9:25pm Los Angeles Central Cineplex  
  
Hilde Schbecker raised an amused eyebrow as Duo Maxwell led her out of the  
theatre, his face lit up with a broad grin as he talked continuously about  
the movie, not even bothering to check if she was listening to him.  
  
Waiting for the rare moment when he paused for breath, she quickly  
interjected, "Blake... that's the third time you've brought me to see 'The  
Dragon's Justice'... aren't you just a little bit tired of it by now?"  
  
Duo blinked at her, "What? Me? Tired of ol' Wufei kicking ass?! Never!", he  
finished with mock indignation.  
  
Hilde smirked, shaking her head with resignation.  
  
Duo's eyes gleamed as he continued the taunting, "In fact, I can't wait for  
the video release!"  
  
Hilde laughed softly, "Blake... I swear one day I will take your Wufei  
collection and smack you over the head with it..."  
  
Duo stopped walking, turning to Hilde, wrapping his arms around her waist,  
pinning her arms to her sides. His grin was mischevious, "I'd like to see  
you try... 'cos after that... I'll just have to show you the kind of...  
punishment I give to naughty little girls..." He drew her close to him,  
close enough for their noses to touch.  
  
Hilde found herself staring deep into Duo's warm amethyst eyes, trapped  
within the depths of his irises. It felt... right being so close to him. He  
was so... perfect. Embracing the warmth of his body, she contented herself  
with staring at him. It was so hard for her to contemplate how impossibly  
handsome he was. No man had a right to look THAT good. The smooth features  
of his face... that impossibly long braid... the firmness of his body... she  
did not have to look at him to know that he had never been in better shape.  
Her mind recalled a time just several months ago when he had struggled just  
carrying her groceries home for her. Now... he was so... perfect.  
  
Too perfect.  
  
Blinking out of her reverie, she looked around her and realized that a crowd  
was blatantly gazing at their display of affection. Reddening, she smiled at  
Duo, trying to struggle out of his grip, "Blake... I think we should save  
this for later... we're making a scene."  
  
Duo blinked as well, his gaze taking in the crowd, "Oh... right." He  
released her.  
  
"C'mon, let's go."  
  
*****  
  
April 18th AC 195 9:25pm Outer Los Angeles Wasteland  
  
Chang Wufei sighed as he stared at himself in the large mirror, bordered  
with those irritating tungsten lightbulbs. He scratched his forehead  
lightly, running a hand through his thick crop of shoulder-length black  
hair. Penetrating black eyes stared defiantly back at him.  
  
*I hate my life...*  
  
He shifted his gaze, staring out of his trailer's single small window, out  
at the barren landscape where they were shooting on location. He sighed,  
looking down. And caught sight of a pile of posters and assorted other fan  
merchandise sitting on his desk, waiting for his signature.  
  
*Why can't they all just leave me alone?*  
  
A small knock on his door resounded throughout the room, causing his head to  
jerk up and in the direction of the door. His lip curled up in frustration.  
Raising his voice slightly, he called out, "I'm busy! Go away!"  
  
The knocking became louder, more insistent.  
  
His eyes narrowing, he got up slowly, turning to face the door. This time,  
he yelled, "I said, GO AWAY!"  
  
The door crashed opened, splinters of the wood surrounding the lock  
scattering across the floor, the door itself slamming wide open and  
rebounding slightly. The cold night desert air gusted in, and Wufei found  
himself staring at four large men, looking in through the door. All wore  
identical black suits, with identical black sunglasses, each with a stern  
frown creasing his face. All looked like they had just jumped straight out  
of a bad movie.  
  
Wufei eyed them silently.  
  
The lead man spoke.  
  
"You are Chang Wufei?"  
  
The Chinese boy raised an eyebrow, "Something tells me you're not looking  
for an autograph."  
  
The man did not respond in kind, instead folding his arms across his chest,  
"We have instructions to escort you to those who are have sent us. We will  
do so by force if necessary. It is suggested you come quietly... to prevent  
unnecessary... accidents."  
  
*****  
  
Heero Yuy allowed himself to be led, led out of the large chamber where his  
life had just been shattered, led into an adjacent room, where he was  
motioned to sit, along with the five scientists... and her.  
  
It was unmistakeable.  
  
She looked at him levelly, her cool stare calmly contemplative, yet vaguely  
hinting at reminiscence and... familiarity. Heero raised an eyebrow. She  
knew him. Somehow.  
  
J slowly took a cup of hot coffee out of the wall dispenser, before joining  
the group. He eyed Heero for a moment, stirring the steaming liquid inside  
the cup.  
  
He spoke slowly, deliberately, "Well?"  
  
Heero blinked, "Well what?"  
  
J continued to stir his coffee, his voice nonchalant, "You wanted answers.  
She has them."  
  
Caught off-guard, Heero was speechless. He found himself alternating his  
gaze between J... and the one who appeared to be Hilde. His mind raced...  
thinking... trying to think. He felt his cheeks turning red.  
  
The elder woman smiled lightly, her hands folded daintily across her lap, as  
she took in Heero's discomfited state, "I never thought I'd see the day."  
  
Heero jumped... a little, a small frown forming across his brow as Hilde  
stifled a small giggle. It was unmistakeable. Her voice. Somehow...  
she -was- Hilde. He looked at her, "What are you talking about? And what's  
so funny?"  
  
Her smile refused to fade, "It's nothing, Heero. It's just that... I've  
never seen you blush. Or get startled."  
  
He raised an eyebrow, "Of course you haven't. I've never met you before."  
  
She nodded knowingly, "I know, but I've met you."  
  
Heero simply stared. Was the woman insane?  
  
To her, he said, "Mind running that past me again?"  
  
To his surprise, her smile disappeared, replaced with the wistful, sad gaze  
she had been wearing when she had first appeared ten minutes ago, "I know  
you're confused, Heero. Especially since you apparently just met the Hilde  
Schbecker from the here and now just yesterday... but I will try to  
explain."  
  
Heero leaned forward, "How did you know that I just met Hilde?". He blinked,  
"The here... and now?"  
  
The five scientists were silent, watching the exchange.  
  
Hilde nodded, "The here and now, Heero. Let me explain."  
  
She leaned back, the shimmering green gown glinting in the room's  
illumination.  
  
"I am Hilde Schbecker... as much Hilde as the girl you've just met."  
  
She raised her arm, in a sweeping gesture that took in everything.  
  
"All you see around you... the world that you know..."  
  
She stared him straight in the eye.  
  
"...it is not meant to be."  
  
Heero drew back, frowning, "What are you talking about?"  
  
Hilde raised a hand, silencing him with a motion, "I've lived through this  
time, Heero, this year... After Colony 195. This is not the way it was."  
  
The Asian youth corrected her, "After Century."  
  
Hilde shook her head, "No, Heero. You're the one whose got it wrong. This is  
all... wrong."  
  
Heero could only stare at her, perplexed.  
  
Hilde continued, "As you can guess, Heero, I am Hilde Schbecker... but the  
Hilde from a future time, AC 219 to be exact... in the world as it should  
be. We were conducting the final phase of a number of key experiments that  
the United Earth Nation had implemented some twenty years prior to that,  
experiments that delved into the realm of temporal anomalies. Duo and I had  
been requested by the United Earth Nation's Scientific Research Division, to  
assist in the most critical stage of the experiments, seeing that the  
corporation we set up was the leading private organization in this field."  
  
"Our goal was simple... we were going to open the doors to the one of the  
greatest legends in what had been science fiction - time travel. All the  
preliminary experiments had been successful, and both I, and the UEN SRD's  
director of operations, were certain it would work. I activated the switch  
that would begin the process."  
  
She looked down, "I remember... Duo holding my hand... squeezing it...  
hopefully."  
  
Heero shook his head, his voice laden with disbelief, "So... this world of  
yours has a Duo as well, huh?"  
  
Hilde stared at him, "No, Heero. Not the Duo as he exists here. It's hard  
for me to explain... but the best I can do is to say that the person who was  
Blake Richardson here is Duo Maxwell where I come from."  
  
Heero snorted, "How convenient."  
  
Hilde ignored him, "Let me finish. Something went wrong. The generator was  
reacting to something unknown that was jeopardizing the whole operation. And  
I was the only one who knew how to stop it. I yelled for Duo to clear the  
room. He refused at first, until I left him... no choice. The UEN's director  
refused to leave, insisting that she could help. I could not stop her.  
Together, we worked... frantically... trying to shut down the operation..."  
  
She shook her head again, "But there was nothing we could do. The system was  
slowly, but steadily going out of control. We tried to escape... but it  
overwhelmed us both."  
  
Hilde looked up, "I was unconscious for what seemed like hours. When I came  
to... I was here... in this place."  
  
She gazed at Heero, "That was four months ago. Stuck in what I knew as the  
past, in a world I could not recognize, yet filled with people I know...  
with people I worked with... with people I love.... just as I remembered  
them, from their youth."  
  
"I began researching on history, on everything that could have given me a  
clue as to what had happened. And I found it. The history I knew was exactly  
the same as the recording history of this world... everything... the  
dinosaurs... Moses... the birth of Jesus... the fall of the Roman Empire...  
the Middle Ages... the First and Second World Wars... the formation of the  
United Nations... the formation of the Asian Federation... and the  
Euro-American Alliance... everything was the same... until one point of  
time... two centuries ago, in what should have been After Colony Year 001,  
the year when the Asian Federation launched the first of the colonies... in  
what would have been the first of the LaGrange colony clusters... in the  
same year the two governments would have molded itself into the United Earth  
Alliance."  
  
She looked around the room, "Something... happened... in that year... that  
shouldn't have. Or rather... someone. At the end of the final war between  
the Euro-American Alliance and the Asian Federation... at least, the way I  
know it, a truce was signed between both parties, a truce that called for  
total cooperation between both governments. It worked well... hostilities  
lessened, both governments cooperated with each other in research, and the  
colonies were launched. That didn't happen... in the history records I read  
upon arriving here. Instead, the President of the Euro-American Alliance  
refused all research rights to the Asian Federation, ordering them to stop  
all advancements in science and technology, on the pretext that advanced  
weapon development could be 'hidden' amongst the peaceful research."  
  
She looked at Heero, "Do you know who was the President of the Euro-American  
Alliance at the time? In the year 'After Century' 001, as you know it?"  
  
Heero nodded, "Everyone knows that. She was the founder of the two centuries  
of peace since."  
  
"Her name, Heero."  
  
The Asian youth stared at Hilde, "Dorothy Catalonia."  
  
Hilde smirked, "Dorothy Catalonia. Heero, Dorothy Catalonia was my friend.  
She was the UEN SRD's director of operations during that experiment that  
went awry. She was the one who was engulfed, along with me, when the  
experiment went out of control. She was not from that time. She was not  
supposed to be President. And most certainly, she was NOT supposed to have  
done that. With that one move, she changed the history of our planet. There  
are no colonies in space now. The only orbital structures are the Maganac  
Corporation's neotitanium procressing plants."  
  
Hilde looked at Heero, "True... she gave you two centuries of peace. True,  
if the colonies were there, these two hundred years would've been a lot more  
violent... we would be at war now, with you fighting on the side of the  
colonies. But at what price, Heero. You know what you are now. Tell me...  
are two centuries of peace worth the eradication of the human race?"  
  
Heero slammed a fist down on the coffee table, "Look, I don't know if half  
of what you're saying is true, so, tell me this much... how can I trust you  
and what you're saying? How do you know YOU'RE right, and the rest of the  
world is wrong. Why would your -friend- want to stop progress and prevent  
the launch of these... colonies?"  
  
Hilde looked at him for a second, "Dorothy lost her father to the war. She  
has often seen the colonies as the catalyst... the reason that we were  
fighting in the first place. The experiment that we conducted has clearly  
left her stranded in the past. Perhaps... she reasoned that... if the  
colonies were not launched... the template for the destruction that surely  
would follow... would be eliminated. And it was... and replaced by a far  
greater plan of destruction."  
  
"As for how you can trust me... you know I don't have the Dreams... as you  
call it, Heero. Do you know why?"  
  
She did not wait for his answer, "The Dreams... Heero... are the vestiges in  
your mind... of what should have been. Think of it this way... when a person  
takes a photo of you, the flash leaves an imprint in your eye, a bright spot  
that mars your vision for a while, an image... a reflection of the flash  
remains imprinted on your vision. Likewise... the world as it was is still  
out there... imprinted vaguely in your memories... memories of what should  
have been... but was not. To prove myself to you, Heero.... I will describe  
your Dreams to you, as I have to these five gentlemen. Believe me, they were  
equally skeptical at the start. Until I told them their Dreams as well.  
  
Heero eyed her warily.  
  
Hilde smiled... a little, "The way I remember you... from the time I  
remember you. You were a pilot, Heero, one of five chosen by the resistance  
forces in the colonies to pilot the five greatest machines ever built, I  
suppose in your dreams, they would look... something like giants."  
  
Heero shivered.  
  
/*He tried to recall what had happened this time. Everything was vague... he  
knew Duo had been there, he now recognized him in the Dreams... and there  
were three others... young boys, his age... he did not know them... and they  
were fighting... just the five of them... fighting against a horde of  
giants... all alone. The giants... they were blurred in the Dream and Heero  
could not make them out very well... were relentless... never-ending, but  
somehow the five of them kept on destroying the giants as fast as they  
came... Heero could make out that he was somehow inside one of the giants  
himself, as were the other four, watching as the giant he was inside refused  
to surrender, refused to give up fighting... and he saw himself... and did  
not like the Heero he saw in the Dreams...*/ - cf. Chapter Three - The  
Illusion of Truth  
  
"In fact... they were something like giants... huge humanoid robots, we  
called them Gundams, nearly indestructible. You were sent... to wage  
guerrilla warfare against the forces of Earth. Many things happened...  
changed. You were captured... forced into..."  
  
Heero interrupted her with a wild shout, "ENOUGH!"  
  
She smiled at him, "Do you believe me now?"  
  
Heero realized his hands were clenched into fists. One hand had been  
gripping the arm of his chair. The wood had long since cracked. He slowly  
released his grip, letting the splinters fall to the ground. He looked at  
Hilde, "Am I... like this... in your world?"  
  
Hilde smiled, "Something like. Only thing is... you were modified and  
trained... by him." She pointed at J.  
  
Heero was silent.  
  
He looked up.  
  
"What do you want us to do?"  
  
She nodded at him, her eyes sparkling like polished gems, "We have a  
chance... to right the wrongs done. But you, among other things, are  
essential."  
  
Heero gazed at her calmly, "Tell me what I have to do."  
  
The elder woman stood up, "There is no hurry, Heero. Besides, not all  
preparations have been completed. Not all the peices of the puzzle have  
fallen into place. There is time yet."  
  
She was about to turn and leave when Zechs entered the room hurriedly. Seven  
pairs of eyes turned to him.  
  
He ignored the intent gazes, looking directly at J, "Sir... we're having a  
small problem."  
  
J waited for him to continue.  
  
Zechs fidgeted uncomfortably, "As per your instructions, sir, we've sent a  
number of agents to invite Mr. Winner back here... so that we can explain  
everything to him. As you remember, in the aftermath of the examination that  
was conducted on him... there were too many... problems to keep tabs on him  
and he escaped."  
  
J nodded impatiently, "So... is he here?"  
  
Zechs shook his head, "No, sir. The first two agents came back without him.  
When questioned, they mentioned that they both invited Mr Winner quite  
forcefully. He refused, and all of a sudden, they felt compelled to leave  
him. They left him almost immediately, without even making a second  
attempt."  
  
J shooked slightly, "So... send another agent!"  
  
Zechs shifted uncomfortably, "We did. Two of them, so that we could take him  
by force if we needed to."  
  
"...and?"  
  
Zechs looked up, "Five minutes ago, a car from the hotel Mr. Winner is  
staying at dumped the two of them outside our entrance. Both are in the  
medical facility. Preliminary scan shows that their minds, their whole  
neural system is scrambled. It's like... some powerful force reached into  
their minds and...crushed. Not crushed physically, I mean. Their brains are  
intact... it's only that all the processes and functions have shorted out.  
The doctors say they have almost no hope of recovery."  
  
He looked down, "When we retrieved them from the entrance... they were  
saying something... over and over... repeated like a message... I think  
they're probably still at it now... it seems like the only thing they know  
how to do anymore."  
  
"What are they saying?"  
  
Zechs looked away.  
  
"They seem to be saying, 'Their blood is on your hands. Don't send any  
more.'"  
  
J looked grim. H was pale. He turned to J.  
  
"Perhaps we made a mistake... he could have been the second one."  
  
J shook his head, "No... I know what he is, and how he came to be this way.  
If only he would let us explain..."  
  
He looked at Zechs, "Perhaps it's time for stronger measures. Zechs, send  
Solo to meet Mr. Winner."  
  
Zechs took a step back, "Sir... I don't think..."  
  
"Do it, Zechs."  
  
"...but, sir, Solo may be cybernetically augmented, but his brain is still  
largely organic. He would not fare much better against whatever was used  
against our agents."  
  
"Trust me, Zechs."  
  
"...Yes, sir."  
  
As he approached the door, he turned back towards the scientists as J called  
his name.  
  
"Sir?"  
  
J looked at him, "Did you forget to update us on the other matter of  
importance? How goes the search for the second one?"  
  
Zechs nodded, "Our agents are out in search, based on the information you  
provided. We expect to find him shortly, if they haven't done so already."  
  
Heero watched Zechs leave silently, before turning to the scientists. Hilde  
had... disappeared, probably while Zechs was delivering his speech.  
  
"Is there anything else you want from me?"  
  
J shook his head, "Not at the moment, Heero. You're free to go for now. Just  
keep this on yourself. We'll contact you through it when necessary." He  
handed Heero a small comlink.  
  
Heero nodded, "Is there any way for me to keep my... strength under control?  
I can't go about breaking shower knobs and... uh..", he turned red,  
remembering events from the night before.  
  
J smiled, "I'm afraid you'll just have to be more careful." He looked at  
Heero, "You know, a lot of guys out there would give anything to have what  
you have..."  
  
Heero simply looked at him, "I'm not one of them."  
  
G eyed the young boy for a moment, "I understand that the convenience store  
you were working in terminated your contract after the recent incident. No  
matter, we have arranged for your bank account to be credited. You are  
working for us now, anyway."  
  
Heero nodded, before turning back to J, "Who... is this Mr. Winner?"  
  
J sighed, "I was waiting for you to ask. He is Quatre Raberba Winner, the  
CEO of the Maganac Corporation. He is funding our entire operation... and I  
believed him to be the second assassin. I was wrong. Instead... we found him  
to be... something totally unexpected."  
  
Heero raised his eyebrows, "What is he?"  
  
J smirked, "I'm not entirely sure myself. All I can say for certain is that  
he's a newtype."  
  
Heero blinked, "No newtype I know can do what I heard he did."  
  
J looked at Heero straight in the eye, "He isn't a normal newtype."  
  
*****  
  
Duo Maxwell jaunted in through the aperture-like door leading to Sister's  
room, whistling softly as he casually twirled his black windbreaker in the  
air. He stopped, smiling at the gleaming white apparatus.  
  
"Yo, Sis! How've ya been?"  
  
*I'm operating optimally, Duo... Have you managed to keep yourself in better  
condition this time? You have NO idea how hard it was to repair you after  
that last incident.*  
  
Duo grinned at the machine, "I'm fine, Sis. Just need the usual daily  
maintenance."  
  
A voice echoed out of the corner of the room, "Why do you bother to talk to  
it in the first place? It's just a machine."  
  
Duo paused, gritting his teeth as he turned to face his twin. He eyed Solo.  
  
"You're a machine too."  
  
Solo folded his arms, glancing away, "Thanks for reminding me. I would've  
forgotten without you, wonder-boy."  
  
Duo sighed, as he stepped into one of the repair crevices inside Sister,  
"Where're you headed now?"  
  
Solo shoved his hands inside the pockets of his windbreaker as he watched  
Sister begin maintenance on Duo, "Latest orders from the brass. I'm to go  
retrieve Quatre. Apparently, he's giving trouble."  
  
Solo Maxwell snorted slightly as he walked towards the exit. As he reached  
the door, his whole demeanor changed. A cheery smile erupted on his face,  
his eyes  
brightened, and he began walking with a casual air. Much like how his twin  
had walked in. The facade had taken over.  
  
Watching from within the confines of Sister, Duo shook his head.  
  
*****  
  
  
Quatre Raberba Winner ignored the insistent tapping on his door. He was  
sitting on the carpeted floor of his room, sweating beading across his  
forehead.  
  
**Why did you do it, Quatre?**  
  
*I had to... they wouldn't have stopped otherwise. I had to make an  
example.*  
  
**You call turning two perfectly healthy men into comatose vegetables an  
example?**  
  
*I didn't mean to use... that much. It's hard to control. I didn't mean to  
do that.*  
  
**Just keep calm... never EVER use it in haste.**  
  
The door to his room flew off its hinges, a deep crack running horizontally  
across the thick reinforced wood of the door. It landed on the carpeted  
floor, snapped in two. Quatre looked up aghast, his concentration broken,  
looked up to see Solo Maxwell standing at the door, one arm outstretched.  
  
*Did I piss them off?*  
  
**No... he's not here for revenge... I can sense it.**  
  
The black-clad youth slowly walked into the room, walked towards the young  
blond seated in the center of the room.  
  
Solo smirked, winking , "You should've answered the door, Quatre."  
  
Quatre looked up at the black-clad youth, "That door... was triple  
reinforced, Solo. Would you care to tell me how you did that?"  
  
Solo shook his head, "Don't waste time, Quatre. I was sent to bring you back  
to the scientists. They need to tell you something."  
  
Quatre smiled slightly, "I've already told your agents quite... clearly.  
Don't send anymore." He raised a hand.  
  
Solo found himself immobilized by an unseen force, his arms and legs bound  
and crushed against his sides. He felt himself being lifted off the ground,  
held suspended two feet in the air. Quatre smiled at him.  
  
"You see... you aren't the only one keeping secrets. So, here's the deal.  
Since your... scientists are so insistent on telling me something, I'll go.  
After you tell me what you are. Somehow... I'm getting this feeling that  
you're not the same person I knocked down in that car accident three months  
ago..."  
  
Solo stared at the young blond smiling at him. Staring at the first person  
who had managed to incapacitate him. Staring at the first person he was  
actually... a little afraid of.  
  
He began his story.  
  
*****  
  
Zechs rushed into the operations room, rubbing his eyes sleepily, yawning.  
He looked at Relena, standing in the center of all the activity, looking as  
prim and proper as ever. She turned as she heard him enter, nodding at him.  
  
Siding up next to her, he queried, "What was so important that I had to be  
woken up at 2am?"  
  
She pointed at the screen, "As you no doubt know, our agents have had no  
success in locating the second one. I think we've just found out why. We  
picked this up from one of our surveillance networks." She pressed a button,  
and a large screen on the opposite wall came to life.  
  
The screen showed an unfamiliar lab... with unfamiliar people. Lying on the  
examination table was a young boy, Chinese by the look of it, garbed in a  
simple gown like those found in hospitals.  
  
Relena looked at Zechs, "We couldn't find him... because -they- have him."  
  
The screen zoomed in on a small monitor inside the room, enlarging and  
enhancing the video feed so that Zechs could see what was displayed.  
  
His heart sank.  
  
The seal of the Euro-American Alliance was prominently displayed on the  
monitor, along with some personal information about the boy, and Zechs noted  
his name. Another monitor, close by, monitored the boy's vital functions. A  
third looked vaguely like the monitors the five scientists stared so eagerly  
at during their 'examinations'.  
  
Zechs looked up at Relena, "Recall Heero, and Solo. Get Duo up here now. And  
wake up the scientists."  
  
He paused.  
  
"Tell them the Alliance has Chang Wufei."  
  
"They have the second assassin."  
  
*****  
  
CHAPTER SIX - TWILIGHT  
  
Content Guideline - violence  
  
April 18th AC 195 11:35pm Los Angeles  
  
The room was pitch black, engulfed, overwhelmed in total darkness, an  
all-encompassing shroud that swept across his vision, marred only by the  
soft silken threads of light streaming in through the open windows, light  
from the surroundings, from the moon and the stars above.  
  
Heero Yuy did not care. He let his jacket fall to the ground, his hands  
reaching up to run through a thick mop of soft brown hair. His eyes stared  
out into the darkness.  
  
*Who am I?*  
  
He found the couch, the motions of his body numb, instinctive, as he sat  
down mechanically. Leaning back into the soft folds of the cushion, he  
tossed his head back, strands of his hair now tangled in disarray, as he  
stared at the ceiling. Looking for answers, answers to questions that could  
have none.  
  
*Is this... real?*  
  
His eyes swept across the room once again, the darkness making everything  
indistinct to his eyes, a fog that danced across his vision and made  
everything in his home... unfamiliar.  
  
*Is it really the darkness... or am I just seeing things as they are for the  
first time?*  
  
His eyes fell to an object standing on an adjacent coffee table, his hand  
reaching out for it even while his brain screamed otherwise. Anything but  
that.  
  
In the dark he sat, his eyes locked on the object he held in his hand. He  
shook his head in bitterness.  
  
*Who are you?*  
  
A small mirthless laugh escaped from his throat, as his eyes traveled across  
the length of the photograph he held, first from the middle-aged man on the  
left, smiling with his arm draped across the shoulder of a woman, roughly of  
the same age. She had a dainty smile on her face. Both had one hand each  
placed on a shoulder of a young boy grinning for all he was worth, his soft  
brown locks partially obscuring his somewhat narrow prussian blue eyes. Him.  
  
The mirthless laughter faded away as the wooden frame of the photo cracked  
in his grip, as the photograph he had treasured for so long crumpled in his  
hand, shards of broken glass cutting into his palm. He ignored the blood  
that now stained the picture.  
  
He shook his head, blinking, startled by the sudden wetness forming  
around his eyes. He tasted salt on his lips.  
  
*What am I doing? I don't... cry.*  
  
But no amount of rationalization would ease the pain, the sudden surge of  
emotion that Heero realized had been hiding inside him, a deposit of  
anxiety, fear and confusion, a sense of loss that was coming to the fore.  
  
He let the tears flow, all the pent-up emotion and frustration of recent  
days seeking release, and the still of the night was shattered by the  
plaintive sobs of one whose world had just come crashing down mercilessly  
about him.  
  
*****  
  
April 19th AC 195 2:52am Los Angeles Outskirts  
  
Zechs Merquise stifled a yawn as he nodded gratefully to Relena, taking the  
proffered cup of coffee with a small smile. Lifting the steaming cup to his  
nose, he inhaled deeply before taking a tentative sip of the strong brew.  
Sparing a glance at the wall chronometer, his gaze focused on the main video  
screen, at the static being displayed on it. He sighed. The surveillance  
camera had mysteriously stopped working ten minutes after the initial  
discovery, and all attempts at restoring the video feed had failed.  
  
The scientists had arrived within fifteen minutes of being notified, and  
were at this moment convened in heated discussion in an adjacent conference  
room, leaving it up to Zechs to formulate a course of action to retrieve  
Chang Wufei from the Alliance before everything went awry. And all he had to  
work with was ten minutes worth of video feed. He sighed.  
  
He gazed about the room, his view taking in the three night-shift  
technicians manning their stations, at Relena beside him, warming her hands  
on an identical cup of coffee. At Lucrezia Noin seated not too far off,  
trying not to fall asleep.  
  
And at Duo Maxwell, leaning back in a large chair, his legs propped up on  
one of the consoles, his jockey cap covering his face. He was snoring. Zechs  
sighed again. A temple in his forehead throbbed alarmingly.  
  
The door to the operations room slid open with a loud hiss, admitting the  
same middle-aged woman who had been frequenting the place so often. Zechs  
found himself staring at her. Despite the unearthly hour, she somehow  
managed to maintain an aura of control about her. She was as prim and proper  
as she had been earlier that night, walking in regally in a resplendent blue  
gown that swept at the ground. Her face radiated a soothing calmness, an  
inner peace and self-control that a hermit would be hard-pressed to imitate.  
She looked at him, smiling as she entered, her voice collected and lacking  
any trace of sleepiness, "Good evening, Mr. Merquise." She looked around,  
"Where are the professors? I understand there's been a situation."  
  
Zechs tried to emulate her smile, standing up a little straighter, yet  
failing utterly, "They're in the conference room, Miss Schbecker. That way."  
He pointed in the direction.  
  
She smiled again, walking in the direction he motioned, "Thank you." Just  
before she entered the room, she turned back, a small smirk still remaining  
on her face, "Zechs..."  
  
The white-blond looked up, "Ma'am?"  
  
She grinned at him slightly, and for a moment, looked exactly as though she  
were fifteen again, "I haven't been 'Miss Schbecker' for ages. You can call  
me Hilde."  
  
Zechs shook his head, "That would be... improper."  
  
Hilde raised an eyebrow at him, her face expressing amusement, "...Improper,  
you say. Okay then, if you insist, you can call me Mrs. Maxwell."  
  
She disappeared through the doorway, leaving Zechs staring at her shadow.  
  
He was still staring at the closed doorway when a now-familiar tenor voice  
broke the silence.  
  
"I thought you guys said you were done with me for the night."  
  
Zechs turned his head, his gaze taking in Heero Yuy, standing just inside  
the entrance to the operations room, still garbed in the same outfit he had  
worn earlier that night, his hair slightly ruffled and his appearance  
dishevelled, but his eyes showed him to be alert and somehow fully awake.  
  
Zechs sighed, "Such is the life of one called to service, Heero Yuy. I'm  
glad you're finally here. Now we can begin."  
  
Heero frowned, "Begin what?"  
  
Zechs held up a hand, motioning him into silence, "First things first."  
  
Picking up a small PDA, he looked at it for a second before tossing it  
squarely at Duo's abdomen. The device landed with a subdued thud,  
accompanied by a startled grunt, as the braided teen jerked awake, his  
jockey cap dropping to the ground. He shook his head once as if to clear his  
thoughts, and blinked as he looked around the room, his whole demeanor  
instantly alert and awake. He spotted Heero, and a wide grin broke across  
his face as he took his legs off the console.  
  
Zechs folded his arms across his chest, "If you would care to join us, Duo."  
  
Duo scratched at his head idly, "Ready when you are."  
  
The white-blond man took a deep breath, "Right. Let's begin, shall we." He  
pressed a button, and the video screen lit up, the static display melting  
into a view of the unfamiliar laboratory. Pressing down the button that  
would play the video feed in fast-forward, Zechs waited, allowing the two  
teens to view the entire sequence.  
  
Duo's jaw looked close to dropping, "That's..."  
  
Zechs nodded, "Yes. He's the second assassin. According to the feed, his  
name is..."  
  
The braided teen cut him off, "Chang Wufei!"  
  
The white-blond looked at Duo, "So it would seem, Duo. We really should  
applaud the Asian Federation. A perfect cover for a perfect assassin. He  
could go almost anywhere unsuspected."  
  
  
Duo shook his head in amused disbelief, "I can't believe it..."  
  
Heero was still staring at the screen, "Not perfect enough, it seems.  
Someone was suspicious enough to do that."  
  
Zechs nodded, "Whatever the case, it is imperative that we retrieve him  
before the situation gets out of hand. The Alliance does not know how  
dangerous the ground they are treading on is." He looked at his watch,  
before turning his gaze back to the two boys in front of him.  
  
"When we contacted Solo and requested his immediate presence here, his only  
response was to say that he was currently... occupied. Judging from his  
location transmitter, he is still at Mr. Winner's hotel apartments. I assume  
that he is still attempting to persuade Quatre to return."  
  
Zechs looked at Duo, "We cannot wait for him to return... and this mission  
is too dangerous for you to go solo, Duo. So..."  
  
His gaze fell on Heero, "...you have to back him up."  
  
Duo's eyes widened as he leapt out of the chair, his hands raised slightly,  
"Whoa... back it up a sec, Zechs."  
  
He looked at the white-blond, then at Heero, and back at Zechs again, "Did I  
just hear ya tell -him-...", he pointed at Heero, "...to back -me- up?"  
  
Zechs nodded.  
  
Duo nearly yelled, his voice the essence of incredulity, "Are ya NUTS? It's  
too dangerous! I can't look after him and retrieve Wufei at the same time!  
Are ya tryin' to kill him or somethin'? I..."  
  
The braided teen's stopped his tirade when he felt a hand grip his shoulder.  
He heard Heero speak, "Duo."  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
The Japanese youth locked eyes with him, "I'm going with you."  
  
Duo rolled his eyes, a small snort escaping his throat, "Great. Now you've  
lost it too."  
  
"You can't stop me, Duo. I'm going."  
  
The braided teen raised an eyebrow at him, as he quietly studied the  
Japanese youth for a moment, "Listen to me, Heero, I'm not gonna kid around.  
This is for your own good..."  
  
He paused, before shaking his head, his amethyst eyes meeting Heero's blue,  
"Better for ya to be KOed here than killed there."  
  
Duo had barely finished the sentence before he drew his arm back, his  
fingers already clenched as he slammed a fist at Heero's abdomen. *I'm  
sorry, Heero.* He blinked, looking down when he realized something wasn't  
right.  
  
An inch away from his stomach, Heero's hand had intercepted Duo's punch,  
stopping it cold. Duo blinked again, looking up at Heero's satisfied smirk.  
He turned to Zechs, "You didn't tell me they'd released his powers."  
  
Zechs gazed back nonchalantly, his voice a dry monotone, "Oops."  
  
Duo looked at the hand immobilizing his arm, bringing his gaze up to look at  
Heero, "Still..."  
  
Without warning, Duo twisted in a sudden motion, and a startled Heero  
suddenly found himself in a deadlock, the hand he had been using to  
immobilize the braided youth now twisted behind his back, firmly in Duo's  
grasp. Almost simultaneously, the braided youth used one leg to hit out at  
Heero's, sweeping the Japanese youth off his feet.  
  
Heero found himself breathing hard, his cheek flattened against the cold  
hard floor, one arm twisted behind his back in a deadlock, a sudden weight  
pinning him down, a steely hand holding him firm. He was entirely at the  
other boy's mercy.  
  
*How could I've been so stupid?! I should've... expected that.*  
  
"... he still lacks training." The pressure on his arm disappeared, and  
Heero immediately leapt to his feet, backing away from the other youth, who  
was now looking back at him. He didn't meet Duo's gaze, instead looking  
around the room.  
  
Zechs had been watching the whole spectacle silently. Relena was staring  
daggers at him, her demeanor frosty. He hastily looked away, his gaze  
falling on Lucrezia Noin who had finally succumbed to sleep. He winced  
slightly at a sudden pressure on his shoulder, before realizing it was Duo  
giving him a pat on the shoulder.  
  
The braided boy did look a little chatised, "Look, Heero, no hard feelings,  
okay? I only did that to prove a point. I'm your friend, or at least... I  
wanna be." He smirked a little at that.  
  
Heero stared at him for a long moment, before returning the pat on the  
shoulder, nodding, "No hard feelings."  
  
Duo grinned, "Cool. Besides, you weren't bad for a beginner. There's a lot  
of raw talent in ya. Remind me to do somethin' about that when we have more  
time. Right now..." He paused.  
  
He put an arm around Heero's shoulders, "...we have a mission to  
accomplish."  
  
*****  
  
April 19th AC 195 3:32am Los Angeles Outskirts  
  
Zechs Merquise stared at the video feed that was being transmitted from the  
microcam embedded inside Duo's left eye, watched, along with the five  
scientists, as both the Japanese youth and the braided teen made their way  
stealthily along the perimeter of the military installation where the  
Alliance was holding Chang Wufei. J was speaking.  
  
"Listen Duo, Heero. We've already told you what we can of the installation  
and its surroundings, and what kind of resistance to expect. Now, I want you  
to listen carefully... there is a very likely chance that..."  
  
He was interrupted as the main screen suddenly died out. J turned to one of  
the technicians, "What happened? Get them back now!"  
  
The technician shook his head in confusion, "Nothing's wrong, sir.  
Everything's working within normal parameters. The screen should be  
working."  
  
J was muttering to himself, "They're going in there blind! The second  
assassin could already have been released for all we know!"  
  
Zechs shook his head, "I'll call back Relena and Lucrezia. Maybe they can  
fix the thing." J nodded.  
  
The white-blond pressed a button on his wristcom to do so. Nothing happened.  
He pressed again.  
  
The lights went out, throwing the room into pitch blackness, seconds before  
every screen, console and monitor in the room darkened. It took several  
seconds for the reassuring red glow of the emergency lights to activate, and  
H looked at J.  
  
"A generator malfunction."  
  
"It has to be..."  
  
"It could be an attack... the Alliance could've tracked us down..."  
  
"No... our security measures are more than sufficient..."  
  
All conversation came to an abrupt halt as the door leading into the  
operations room exploded open, peices of shrapnel flying across the room,  
even as a large vaguely human shape came flying in through the door, landing  
with a dull thud.  
  
Zechs squinted in the poor illumination. He blinked, his eyes widening. It  
WAS human. A person. It was...  
  
His jaw dropped, "Solo?" He heard the scientists gasp.  
  
He tried to rush over to see if he was injured, but found himself  
immobilized by some unseen force. He fought against it, the muscles in his  
body clenching with the effort. Sweat began to bead across his forehead and  
it was not long before he gave up from the strain. Realizing he could not  
even move his head now, he looked around the room as far as his eyes would  
let him, discovering bitterly that the five scientists and the three  
technicians appeared to be in the same predicament. Solo had not moved an  
inch, but as the white-blond's eyes became more accustomed to the dim  
lighting, he could see the shallow rising and falling of Solo's chest. He  
was alive, at least.  
  
He heard soft footsteps resounding through the hallway outside the  
operations room, even as his mind put two and two together. If Solo was  
here, and everyone in the room appeared trussed up like turkeys for  
Thanksgiving dinner, that meant only one thing.  
  
A familiar blond figure emerged through the doorway. He was dressed much  
like when they had last seen him, but... he was different. His eyes had an  
almost maniacal gleam in them now, and his mouth had taken on a somewhat  
demented smirk, one that looked as though it could break into a grin at any  
moment.  
  
He stood there, watching, as though waiting for something.  
  
Everyone waited.  
  
Finally, the smirk on his face really did break into a grin, "Well, isn't  
anyone going to welcome me back?" He paced about the room, looking more and  
more insane by the minute, "You wanted me to come back, right? Well, here I  
am! Are you happy now?" He laughed suddenly.  
  
J fixed his eyes on the three technicians, but he was speaking to Quatre,  
"Let them go. They have nothing to do with this. We can settle this."  
  
Quatre glanced momentarily at the three technicians, dismissing them with a  
wave of his hand, "Why not? Get out of here."  
  
Nothing visible happened, except that the three suddenly sagged slightly, as  
though something that had been supporting them had been released, and one  
technician actually fell to the ground. The other two hastily helped the  
third up, and the three all but ran out of the room. Quatre laughed as he  
watched them go, his gaze following them down the hallway, his hands  
clapping as though in enjoyment.  
  
H, who had been standing next to J, whispered, his eyes narrowing, "I think  
now would be a good time to tell us just exactly what you know about him..."  
  
J shook his head, or at least looked as though he was trying to, "I did not  
count on this happening. The situation is not entirely hopeless though... we  
can..."  
  
"Well, isn't this just so... rude."  
  
J's eyes looked at Quatre, who was now pacing in front of the five  
scientists. The mad grin was still evident.  
  
The young blond looked at each scientist in the eye, "You try -so- hard to  
get me back here... and when you finally do... you have nothing to say to  
me. Everyone's just -so- happy to talk amongst themselves, enjoying each  
other's company, pretending as though I don't even EXIST. That's not  
right... is it now?" The grin became a contemplative smirk, his eyes like  
fiery sapphires.  
  
J spoke to him, "That's not it at all. Listen, Quatre, we need to tell  
you..."  
  
The young blond interrupted him with a laugh, "I'm sure you have many many  
stories to tell me... but I'm not sure I want to hear them." He paused for a  
moment, as though thinking, "Then again, maybe I do. Solo Maxwell over there  
told me a WONDERFUL story. I'm sure I could do with another. I remember  
liking bedtime stories. They always had a calming effect on me. Right,  
Solo?" He grinned at the unconscious boy.  
  
He turned back to the professor, "You were saying...?"  
  
J paused for a moment, "Quatre, before I tell you a... bedtime story, can  
you tell me what exactly did Solo tell you?" When Quatre's eyes narrowed, he  
hastily added, "So I won't end up telling you the same one."  
  
The young blond nodded as though it made sense, "I see. Of course. Solo told  
me a wonderful story, as I said. He told me that he's a  
cybernetically-enhanced human, a clone of a boy called Blake Richardson I'd  
knocked down over three months ago in a car accident. He told me that I'd  
been a fool, that I'd let your organization make me believe that HE was the  
boy I'd knocked down, not the boy himself. He told me that the boy was dead,  
that I'd been fooled into supporting your little rebellion with a huge sum  
of my money, that my emotions, my guilt had all been played with, just so  
you wonderful people could go about your business. He told me that you're  
planning to use me... for who knows what? All I know is...", his face went  
dark, "I've been made out to be the greatest fool who's ever lived.  
Wonderful story, dontcha think?"  
  
The sudden noise of running suddenly erupted from the hallway behind, and  
Quatre whipped his head around. Zechs and all the professors strained their  
eyes, trying to look down the hallway. J's eyes widened. The three  
technicians had called for help, and ten security personnel were running  
down the hallway, rushing towards the darkened operations room.  
  
J yelled, "No! Get away from here! Now!"  
  
Quatre's eyes narrowed, and all of a sudden, the security detachment stopped  
dead in its tracks. Zechs tried to avert his eyes, but he could not help but  
stare in horror as the ten men simply... burst. There was no way to better  
describe it. One moment, the security detachment was there. The next... the  
walls were stained with blood and bits of flesh and uniform, weapons left  
untouched, fallen to the ground. The young blond smiled, turning back to the  
scientists, "We couldn't let them spoil our wonderful conversation... could  
we now?"  
  
He sat down on the ground, crossing his legs, the smile still on his face,  
"Where were we?"  
  
J tried to remain calm, doing a better job at it than some of the other  
scientists. Zechs bit his lip, trying to quell the growing unease inside  
him, a small voice inside wondering if Lucrezia and Relena were safe, or if  
they'd been... accosted by this madman.  
  
J looked at Quatre, "Before I can tell you... my story, you should know that  
Solo never finished his. My story won't make sense unless you hear him out."  
  
Quatre looked thoughtful, "Are you sure?"  
  
J nodded, and Quatre turned to Solo. The boy's unconscious form was suddenly  
lifted up into the air, hanging like a rag doll.  
  
Quatre whispered sweetly in his direction, "Solo... wake up, Solo. The good  
doctor here says you haven't finished your story yet."  
  
Solo began shaking violently, thrown around the room roughly, like a dog  
worrying a slipper. Quatre's voice became more insistent, "Solo, wake up!  
Finish your story!"  
  
J nearly yelled, "Quatre... stop!"  
  
Solo fell to the ground unceremoniously, and Quatre fixed his gaze on the  
professor, "You said he had to finish his story. I was trying to wake him  
up."  
  
J took a deep breath, "There's another way. You know Solo is a cyborg. There  
are backup records of his memory inside that computer." He looked at a  
console a slight distance away.  
  
Quatre looked at the console from where he sat, before getting up to examine  
the console, "This one?"  
  
J breathed heavily, "Yes."  
  
The console sprang to life, beeping slightly as it did. Quatre looked at J,  
the light from the screen illuminating his face eeriely, "What do I do?"  
  
J was beginning to sweat profusely, "Just... press the third button from the  
right."  
  
The young blond looked at the console for a long moment, "That will finish  
the story for me?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"And after that you'll tell me yours?"  
  
"Of course."  
  
"Okay then."  
  
He pressed the button.  
  
A thin blue discharge of energy lanced up Quatre's finger, spreading to  
envelop the young blond in a bright blue net of energy, crackling and  
leaping off his skin in nasty bolts. Quatre let loose a small shriek as the  
energy pulsed inside him, and he fell to the ground, his eyes closed before  
he hit.  
  
The pressure binding the scientists and Zechs disappeared, and the lights,  
consoles, screens and monitor came back to life.  
  
Zechs found himself breathing heavily, staring at the unconscious boy lying  
in the middle of the room. He turned to J.  
  
"I think we deserve some answers... sir."  
  
*****  
  
"Come in, HQ... I repeat, Duo to HQ... come in, HQ. Over."  
  
Duo shut off the comlink with an exasperated sigh, turning to look at Heero,  
now garbed in a similar all-black suit which Zechs had forced him to  
exchange his clothers for.  
  
"It's no use. I can't raise them. Could be some local interference." He  
paused, "We're on our own, Heero. Still think this is fun?"  
  
Heero glared at him, "We'll make it."  
  
Duo snorted, "I wished I was as sure as you."  
  
The Japanese youth looked around, his eyes scanning the perimeter, the  
installation, and the fifteen-foot high chainlink fence that seperated them  
from the base, "Shall we go in?" He reached out to grab at the chainlink  
fence, about to wrench a hole large enough for them to crawl through.  
  
Duo's steady hand stopped him, "No, Heero. The first thing you have to learn  
is to know -when- to use your new-found strength. In missions like this,  
stealth is a lot more important. There's a huge chance this fence is wired,  
either to an alarm that will sound if anything touches it, or if the base  
commander is feeling particularly nasty, to a little generator that'll pump  
five hundred thousand volts into you." He shuddered, "Trust me, it wasn't a  
pleasant experience."  
  
Heero stared at him.  
  
Duo grinned, "Besides, even if it weren't hooked up to some little nasty or  
other, a big gaping hole in the fence just cries out 'Hey, look, an  
intruder!' to any passing patrol."  
  
Without letting the other boy get a word in, the braided youth suddenly  
stood up, bending his legs slightly before leaping up and over the  
fifteen-foot height and landing as softly as a cat on the other side. He  
laughed at Heero's incredulous look, "You try it."  
  
Gazing up at the immense height, Heero swallowed nervously. Bending  
slightly, he leaped up, putting as much force as he could muster into it.  
His eyes widened as he found himself sailing past the top of the fence  
without stopping, almost twice over the height of the fence, before  
plummeting down towards the ground. He stifled a small yell as he landed on  
his face, right next to Duo.  
  
He felt Duo's hand help him to his feet. The braided youth's face was  
typically amused, "You need a little practice, Heero, but that was good for  
a first try."  
  
He slapped Heero on the back, "C'mon, let's get a move-on before you trip up  
on those big ol' feet of yours."  
  
*****  
  
Zechs looked at the young blond, still unconscious, now restrained in a  
chair, a device that whirred and hummed attached to his head, green lights  
blinking. O, S and G paced around the room, scanning several monitors, while  
Relena assisted them. Lucrezia was down the hallway, supervising the  
clean-up detail. J and H were observing the boy, with Zechs next to them.  
  
J pressed a button on the device, which emitted a small beep, and Quatre's  
eyes slowly blinked open.  
  
The young blond seemed to be in a daze, his eyes unfocused as he stared  
around the room, "Where... where am I? Where's Solo?"  
  
**Easy now, Quatre...**  
  
*What... what happened? Why can't I remember anything?*  
  
**I don't know, Quatre. It's never happened before. I don't know what  
happened either. All I remember was that you suddenly suppressed me down,  
right down to the core, like you used to before...**  
  
*Are you hurt?*  
  
**No... but I think something's happened...you're not suppressing me  
anymore... but it's still not right.**  
  
Quatre vaguely heard one of the people in front of him speaking. He tried to  
focus.  
  
"...you feeling any better?"  
  
He stared in front of him, recognizing J. He frowned slightly, "Oh... it's  
you. Yes, I'm feeling fine." He looked at the blue restraining field holding  
him immobile in the chair, "What's going on?" He struggled against the  
restraint, to little effect. His eyes narrowed, trying to focus on the  
device restraining him, to destroy it. Nothing happened.  
  
J shook his head, "You will forgive me for suppressing your ability. That's  
what that device on your head is for. After what happened, I think I am  
justified in doing so, at least until I can explain everything to you."  
  
Quatre's eyes widened, "You... know about this... ability?" When J nodded,  
Quatre continued, "What... happened? I don't remember."  
  
J nodded, "And rightly so. Let me explain."  
  
He started pacing slightly, "Do you know what a newtype is?"  
  
Quatre suppressed a wince, "...yes."  
  
J continued, "A newtype is a gifted human, one with highly developed mental  
powers, usually manifesting itself in the form of empathic or telepathic  
ability. They are extremely rare, and much sought after because of their  
abilities." He looked at Quatre, "I suspect that you are a newtype."  
  
Quatre averted his eyes, even as J continued, "However... I also think that  
unlike most, you KNEW that you were different from the rest, from  
your parents. You didn't have to be discovered, because you discovered  
yourself. And you hated being different, didn't you?"  
  
The boy tried to nod around the restraining field. J smiled, "You hated  
being different... having this 'special' ability, because it set you apart.  
You had enough of being 'different'... the only son in the family... the  
only 'rich kid' in school... you didn't want to add 'newtype' to that, did  
you?"  
  
A shake of his head.  
  
J continued, "So... somehow, you rebelled. You fought against this ability  
of yours... and you won. You suppressed it for years, despite the fact that  
all the time, the ability inside you was fighting to get out, to manifest  
itself. You suppressed it enough, that you managed to pass the testing for  
newtypes undetected, even while the ability was inside you. It was only when  
you came of age, when you hit puberty, that the ability broke through the  
shell you had formed around it. You see, just as you start developing at  
puberty, just as you start gaining height and strength at that age, so does  
the ability only begin to grow to its full potential at that age. Even then,  
you somehow managed to slap a rough block on top of the ability, suppressing  
it for the most part, suppressing everything except an occasional  
'feeling'... and a voice in your head that speaks to you... am I right?"  
  
Quatre was staring at the professor in open shock now.  
  
*How could he know?*  
  
He nodded numbly.  
  
J smiled, "Two days ago, we released that block... and you can see for  
yourself just exactly what your battle with your ability has gained for  
you."  
  
Quatre's breath caught, "You mean..."  
  
J nodded, "By fighting it constantly, by making the ability fight for its  
survival throughout your childhood and teenage years, it began to evolve,  
growing stronger because of the fight you put it through, manifesting itself  
in the ability that you have shown over the past few days. The same ability  
that just killed ten men outside this room less than fifteen minutes ago."  
  
Quatre blinked, his eyes turning to look at the mess outside, at the people  
cleaning it up. He tried to shake his head, but the restraining field caught  
it, "I... don't... remember."  
  
J looked at him, "I can tell you why."  
  
The young blond simply stared, as the elderly professor continued, "I  
suspected it from the time you came in here, from the time you told us  
exactly what 'story' Solo had told you. I believe it even more now because  
you just confirmed that you have a voice in your head speaking to you now."  
  
He looked at Quatre, "I believe you are suffering from a  
multiple-personality disorder. You refused to have anything to do with this  
newtype ability of yours as a child, so much so that you suppressed it, did  
everything  
you could to seperate it from yourself, and you succeeded. That is why it  
took on a voice of its own, that is why you can speak to it now. You are  
essentially speaking to yourself, another 'part' of you, the seperate part  
that houses the newtype ability. Both halves make up the whole Quatre that  
you are. However..." (Quatre goes into berserk mode??)  
  
He paused for a moment, "After he regained consciousness, I asked Solo what  
exactly had happened in your hotel room, just before sending him for  
repairs. He mentions that he told you everything that had happened, the  
truth of it all. He said that at first, you just kept silent, while he  
remained suspended in the air. All of a sudden, you began laughing, then  
crying. You curled up on the floor, shaking, sobbing, and he found himself  
being tossed around the room like a rag doll, slamming against the walls and  
furniture and everything. Any normal human would've died from the force of  
those blows alone, and even in his enhanced state, you injured him badly. He  
mentioned that you began speaking like a child, talking about stories  
and such, much like how you were behaving when you came here. After that, he  
lost consciousness from his injuries."  
  
"From this, all I can speculate is that a third personality was formed  
today. Your background, your character, seems to me, to be somewhat fragile.  
You are an uncertain... almost frightened person inside, one forced into  
responsibility at a young age, forced to be something you were not ready to  
be. All this added to make for one incredibly fragile personality. You,  
Quatre. When this latest blow hit you, that despite ALL the measures you'd  
taken, all the precautions to make sure that you were strong enough to deal  
with anything your business could've thrown at you, along comes this  
organization that plays on your emotions and gets the better of you. When  
you learnt this... you simply... lost it. You could not cope with it, and  
your normal personality fled, allowing a new, seperate personality to take  
over, to take the pressure of this latest development. This personality was  
child-like, a version of you from your childhood, a time you remember as a  
time that you managed to conquer your greatest fear, the newtype ability.  
Your subconscious probably figured that since you as you were now could not  
handle the situation, perhaps this version of you could, and so the 'child'  
Quatre was left to deal with the situation, and it could not. It drove you  
slightly insane, and led you here seeking an answer, someone to pay for what  
had happened. Does any of this sound familiar?"  
  
Quatre was silent for a long time before speaking, "I don't know..."  
  
"I think you do, Quatre."  
  
"I don't know why... but it sounds... right." He looked up at the professor,  
his blue eyes filling with tears, "What do I have to do?"  
  
J smiled. The child was in his hands. "We can help you, Quatre. We can help  
you deal with this problem of yours. We can help, if you will let us, and if  
you will help us in return."  
  
Utter silence prevailed again as the young blond looked down.  
  
Turning his gaze up, he looked at the professor as his small voice broke the  
silence.  
  
"Yes."  
  
*****  
  
Duo Maxwell dragged the Japanese youth aside, hiding in the darkness behind  
a stack of crates piled up in a darkened corridor. Looking at the quivering  
boy, he drew back his hand, slapping the boy hard across the cheek,  
whispering fiercely, shaking him by the front of his vest "Snap out of it,  
Heero! It's over, you can't do anythin' about it!"  
  
The Japanese youth was shivering, his eyes still fixed at the sight, "I....  
I didn't mean to..."  
  
Duo sighed, "I know you didn't..."  
  
*Great job, Zechs. You've just screwed up another person's life.*  
  
Heero was still shaking, "I... I didn't mean... to... to... kill..."  
  
Duo forced the other boy to look straight in his eyes, holding his  
frightened gaze with the sternest frown he could muster, "Heero! I said,  
snap out of it! It can't be helped. Just make sure you learnt something from  
this mistake."  
  
Almost dragging the other boy, Duo crossed the several meters back to the  
corridor where the two guards had unfortunately bumped into them, while they  
were trying to make their way through the building. The first guard was  
unconscious, the blow Duo dealt him knocking him out instantly. The other  
guard however, had blood dripping out of his mouth, and his eyes were  
beginning to have the glazed look of death. Duo's sharpened hearing had  
heard the two guards approaching and they had tried to hide to avoid  
attention, but the guards were observant and had spotted them.  
  
Duo had reacted calmly, as he was trained to for espionage situations,  
dealing a decisive blow that knocked out his opponent. Heero, however, had  
overreacted, and in the heat of the situation, had aimed a punch at the  
other guard's chest before Duo could reach him in time. The blow had been  
way too powerful, as Heero still had little control over his strength, and  
the guard's ribcage had simply snapped, piercing into the guy's heart. He  
was dead before he hit the ground, and now Heero was a total mess. It always  
happened that way... always after the first kill.  
  
It took almost ten minutes for Heero to stop shivering, and before Duo could  
coax him to continue. He prayed that they wouldn't bump into any more  
guards.  
  
"C'mon, Heero, it's not that much farther."  
  
The Japanese youth was silent as Duo led the way through the darkened  
corridors.  
  
*Why did you have to get all mixed up in this, Heero? I tried to protect you  
from it... but you refused, eager to be... what did you want to be, Heero?  
Something like me? Do you think the life I lead is exciting, is wonderful or  
somethin'? If I had a choice, I'd pick your life over mine anyday. Better  
not knowing -than- knowing...*  
  
A single door at the end of the corridor blocked their way, and the braided  
youth turned to Heero, "This is it."  
  
Turning his attention to the door, Duo suddenly frowned, "That's... odd. I  
don't hear any sounds coming from beyond."  
  
He pressed the button that should have slid the door open. An insistent beep  
answered him, and he snorted, "Locked. I should've expected that."  
  
He looked around, shrugging, "No time to be subtle, I guess." He reached  
towards the left side of the door, his fingers digging into the metal of the  
door, warping to conform to his grip. With one swift motion, he forced the  
door to slide open, the hydraulic motor shorting out in its attempt to keep  
the door locked against the overwhelming pressure. Glancing into the room,  
both Heero and Duo took a step back.  
  
The examination room was drenched in blood. The place was soaked red, from  
the walls to the broken computers, to the smashed tables and screens and  
consoles. It was a complete wreck. Stepping gingerly, Heero forced back a  
gag reflex as the sickening smell of blood got up his nostrils. He looked  
down at the ground, trying to keep blood out of his sight, and found himself  
looking at a dismembered arm. He promptly threw up. Nothing could've  
prepared him for this.  
  
Duo looked, and grimaced, whether at the carnage or at Heero throwing up was  
anyone's guess. Gazing around the room, he shook his head, "Something went  
really wrong here."  
  
Heero tapped him on the shoulder, and Duo turned to look at him. The  
Japanese youth looked a little green, but appeared to have finished  
regurgitating his dinner. He was pointing at something. Duo's eyes looked in  
that direction, and found himself looking at another entrance to the room.  
The door had been torn clean off, and was lying somewhat bent a short  
distance down the corridor. The corridor bent sharply to the right a few  
feet down, and a trail of blood clearly marked the progress of at least one  
person down that corridor. Duo nodded silently, motioning for Heero to stay  
close behind him.  
  
Duo deftly sidestepped the bent door, making his way silently down the  
hallway, his footsteps as soft as a mouse, hardly breathing, his eyes  
constantly shifting, looking in all directions. He rounded the bend, and  
immediately found himself staring at the back of an all-too-familiar figure.  
  
Chang Wufei stood there, his hands and gown soaked in blood, as he dropped  
the lifeless bodies of yet two more guards who had happened to get in his  
way. He began walking away, apparently not having heard Duo and Heero's  
approach.  
  
Duo was apparently about to correct that. Placing his hands on his hips, he  
yelled, "Hey!"  
  
The Chinese boy did not even seem startled, turning around calmly to look at  
the two youths behind him, waiting.  
  
The braided youth fixed a glare on him, folding his arms across his chest,  
"Didn't anyone ever teach ya not to litter in public places?"  
  
The Chinese boy simply looked at them, up and down, as though assessing  
them. After a moment, he simply said, his voice a low baritone, "If you know  
what is good for you, you will leave now, and forget what you saw."  
  
Duo smirked at him, "I don't think we can do that."  
  
The Chinese boy had a small smile on his face, and he seemed a little  
surprised, "Oh?" He took a step towards them, the smile melting into a  
frown, "Then, you will die."  
  
He charged at them, leaping across the short distance before either had time  
to react. He slammed into Duo, knocking him to the ground, a flurry of  
well-placed blows keeping the braided youth occupied with defending himself.  
Duo grunted a little, as several evaded his defences, hitting home with a  
vengeance. The Chinese boy seemed surprised that the braided youth beneath  
him was still alive, let alone in able condition, and this only served to  
further strengthen his resolve. Heero found himself backing away slightly,  
uncertainty rooting him in place.  
  
Wufei hauled the American youth up, lifting him off the ground such that his  
feet dangled in the air, and his hand clenched around the other boy's neck,  
attempting to crush it in. Duo managed a weak grin at him, "Not gonna happen  
this time.". Grabbing at the hand holding him aloft with both hands, he used  
that balance to gain momentum, lashing out with both his legs, kicking the  
Chinese boy square in the chest, forcing him to release his grip, and  
sending him flying. Duo dropped unceremoniously to the ground, in time to  
see that the Chinese boy was back on his feet again as well.  
  
Both opponents circled each other warily, feigning a move, waiting, waiting  
for an opening, a weakness in each other to show. Duo made the next move,  
lashing out with his fist. It ,however, proved to be a fatal mistake, as the  
Chinese boy deftly sidestepped it, slamming both fists down hard on Duo's  
head. The American youth hit the ground... and did not get up.  
  
The Chinese boy laughed softly, reaching down to haul the American teen up  
by the hair. Duo's eyes were closed, and Wufei smirked, "You were a worthy  
opponent... so I will give you an honorable death."  
  
Looking around the corridor, the Chinese boy's gaze fixed onto a thin length  
of metal piping running across the wall. Reaching out, he wrenched off a  
segment, tearing it such that one end was jagged, sharp as a knife. He  
dropped the American youth to the ground, and holding the pipe in both  
hands, he raised it up high.  
  
He brought the pipe down with both hands, with enough force to skewer the  
American and pin him into the ground beneath him.  
  
The pipe stopped short, an inch away from its target. Chang Wufei quivered  
with rage, looking at the two hands which were grasping at the sharp end of  
the pipe, bleeding red, and he looked at the other boy, the Japanese youth  
who had just interrupted.  
  
Heero's gaze was firm, "I can't let you do that." He raised a clenched fist,  
slamming it at Wufei's jaw.  
  
*The dead guard... killed by accident. Ribcage... broken... heart pierced...  
accident...*  
  
The blow died off at the last moment, landing only softly on the Chinese  
boy's jaw.  
  
*I... can't.*  
  
Wufei looked at him. Recognition passed before his eyes.  
  
The Chinese boy snarled, "Traitor!!"  
  
One hand lashed out for Heero's neck, and Heero reacted instinctively.  
Grabbing at the hand, he twisted it around, using the same method Duo had on  
him barely hours ago, twisting it into a deadlock behind his back. His leg  
lashed out, knocking the Chinese boy off his feet, and Heero found himself  
pinning the Chinese boy down with all his weight and strength. He looked  
down, at his opponent. He was motionless.  
  
Startled, worried that he might have hurt him more than he intended to,  
Heero let up on the pressure for a second, and the Chinese boy took the  
opportunity. Lashing out with his feet, he kicked at Heero, sending the teen  
flying into the wall behind. Heero muttered a curse as he picked himself up,  
watching as he saw the Chinese boy at the opposite end of the corridor,  
running away from them.  
  
"All I'll say... is that you're one heck of a fast learner, Heero."  
  
Heero looked down, and saw Duo propping his head up on one hand, lying on  
the ground like Cleopatra in a Roman chair, grinning for all he was worth. A  
large unsightly bruise marred his forehead.  
  
The Japanese youth walked over, and offered a hand. Duo snorted, taking it  
and using it as a support to get up. He too stared down the corridor after  
the escaped Chinese boy. He sighed.  
  
"We really screwed this up... and I can't say the two of us are at fault.  
C'mon, let's make a temporary retreat."  
  
Duo led the way, hobbling out the way they entered.  
  
"We'll get him later."  
  
*****  
  
"Irane yo! Abunai ryu!" - Hanabishi Recca  
  
Sandrock  
Keeper of the Wing Chronicles  
Guardian of the Heart of the Universe  
Wanna glomp Chichiri? Van? Duo? Recca?  
Proud Member of Glomp Fest 2000 NO DA!  
  



	2. Default Chapter Title

DAWN  
Chapter 7 of the KINDRED SPIRITS saga  
Written by Sandrock sandrock@gundamwing.mailbox.as  
  
LEGAL DISCLAIMER  
GW belongs to someone else. That's why KINDRED SPIRITS is a fanfic, and not  
an OVA series.  
  
Content Guideline - violence, mild suggestive material  
  
April 19th After Century(AC) Year 195 - 0352hrs Los Angeles Outskirts  
  
Lucrezia Noin found herself staring at a small white styrofoam cup which,  
for all intents and purposes, appeared to be looking back at her as it sat  
on the broad muted-grey counter-top. The wispy tendrils of steam from the  
thick brown coffee,  
heavily laden with cream and sugar, wafted up and dissipated into the air.  
  
She sighed.  
  
The organization's commissary was empty at this time of night, as it should  
be. However, it suited her... for once. She wanted to be alone.  
  
Idly fingering the cup, she inhaled the thick aroma of the brew, and tried  
to focus her thoughts.  
  
Memories of the corridor, and what had happened there were fresh in her  
mind. She had been at the security center, trying to decipher why the entire  
command center had apparently shut down even though the power generators and  
connections were in perfect condition. Perhaps coincidentally, the  
technicians who had escaped from the command center came stumbling in with  
their tale, and she had immediately despatched the ten guards with her to  
the location first. Taking a few minutes to seal all exits, call  
reinforcements and warn the non-combatant personnel to remain out of sight  
and in safety, she grabbed a weapon and, breaking into a sprint, tried  
to catch up with the security force.  
  
Those few extra minutes had saved her life.  
  
Just as she rounded the bend that would lead to the corridor outside the  
command center, it happened. She had grounded to a halt, a frown forming on  
her brow as she noticed the security team motionless. Angrily, she was about  
to raise her voice to reprimand them when, without warning, the entire  
security force simply burst, ripped to shreds by some unseen force where  
they stood barely a hundred meters in front of her, their flesh, blood and  
clothing splattering across the  
floor, ceiling and walls. She took a step back instinctively, in revulsion,  
not having time to react as the backlash of whatever had killed those men  
slammed into her, sending her flying into the wall twenty meters behind.  
  
The combat training she had undergone in her younger days before her switch  
to research duties kicked in, as she angled herself in such a manner as to  
dampen the impact. Even then, the speed at which she hit the wall had been  
forceful enough to knock the wind out of her, and she slid to the ground,  
breathing heavily. A small subconscious portion of her mind screamed with  
panic, had the angle been slightly off, she'd have hit her spine, probably  
breaking it and killing herself in the process.  
  
Noin stirred at the coffee idly, taking a tentative sip. She tried to ignore  
the way her hands refused to stop quivering.  
  
She must've blacked out after that, the impact or the stress having taken  
its toll. When she came to, the situation seemed to be under  
control, and a clean-up team had begun work on the corridor. Zechs had  
called her on the comlink shortly after, and she had repeatedly had to  
assure him that she was okay, offering to supervise the clean-up detail.  
  
Even if she couldn't have saved those guards, she could at least do this.  
  
The coffee continued swirling inside the cup.  
  
She later discovered that the blond kid, the one called Quatre, had  
been responsible. Even just thinking about it now made her shudder. It  
was frightening, that someone could have the power to reach out across  
thin air and do something like that. Sure, she had been there during Solo  
and Duo's preliminary tests, before the Blake personality had been  
imprinted. She had seen them do pretty much the same thing, literally  
tearing the test subjects apart with their bare hands. She had seen them as  
they decimated the Alliance force that had tried to infiltrate the  
organization after Heero had arrived. But with Solo and Duo, it had been  
something visible... something physical - something that could be seen. You  
knew what was happening and why they could do it.  
  
But... with this Quatre kid... all bets were off, especially if what Zechs  
had told her was true.  
  
The sound of pouring liquid broke her morbid train of thought. Blinking, she  
looked up, staring at the small metallic canister and the dark amber liquid  
emptying into her half-empty coffee cup. The heavy scent of scotch mingled  
with the thick aroma of coffee. A familiar voice broke the silence.  
  
"You looked like you could do with something stronger. You'll probably need  
it if you want to get some rest."  
  
Lucrezia stifled a snort, as she glanced up at her closest childhood  
friend. She responded dryly, "Thanks... but I don't think I'll be sleeping  
anytime soon... and the coffee has nothing to do with it."  
  
Relena Darlian nodded sagely as she pulled up a chair to the counter-top,  
seating herself next to Noin. Under normal circumstances, the ambience in  
the commissary would've been considering relaxing, the soft amber lights and  
the smooth curves of the walls complementing the numerous plants and  
aquariums scattered around the room. Today however, after what had happened,  
the aesthetic qualities of the room went largely ignored.  
  
Relena took Noin's hand in hers, squeezing it to show moral support, "I  
heard what happened... I saw the tapes in fact. Are you sure you're okay?"  
  
Noin forced a small chuckle, "Nothing I can't handle, Lena. You know me  
better than that."  
  
Relena smiled, "I guess I do."  
  
A mischevious wink gleamed in Noin's eye, "Just as I know you better than  
that too. You didn't come down here just to indulge me in idle chatter.  
There's got to be something else."  
  
The dark blond girl sighed, "Guilty as charged... Duo's reported in."  
  
Lucrezia perked up a little. Maybe something did go right tonight after all.  
She turned to face Relena completely, waiting. When the blond girl didn't  
continue, instead keeping her gaze down, Lucrezia raised an eyebrow.  
  
"And...?"  
  
"And it's not good, Lucrezia."  
  
Reaching across the counter to grab a glass, Relena poured out a small  
quantity of the amber-colored liquid in the canister. She paused, taking a  
small sip.  
  
"The target escaped. Duo was apparently injured in the process, and the two  
of them are enroute back here. We can download the full details of the  
operation from Duo's memory once they arrive."  
  
Lucrezia Noin sighed. It had to be one of those days. Still facing Relena,  
her coffee long abandoned, she continued, "Is that all he said? Duo's  
normally a lot more... detailed than that."  
  
Relena shrugged, "He doesn't usually come back from a mission with physical  
injuries. Apparently, the target's physical and mental blocks were released.  
Duo wasn't able to elaborate how... but he did say that... that kid...  
Heero... was the one who pulled their fat out of the fire."  
  
Lucrezia blinked, "...Heero saved them?"  
  
Relena snorted, "Yeah... can you believe that? That fool kid actually got  
something right."  
  
Lucrezia allowed for a small smirk to cross her face, "Do I detect an  
unspoken... something, Lena?"  
  
"....what.. what on earth are you talking about, Lucrezia?"  
  
Taking both of the blond girl's hands in hers, Lucrezia forced Relena to  
look directly at her. The fact that Relena looked entirely perturbed made  
Noin's smirk grow into a full-blown grin.  
  
Relena tried a frown, "Lucrezia, why the heck are you grinning like a mad  
fool? You look like Duo doing that."  
  
"I think you know why I'm grinning."  
  
Relena quirked an eyebrow, "I think you've had a drop too much."  
  
"Lena... the last time you called someone a 'fool kid' was when you were  
head over heels about P..."  
  
Relena jumped slightly, her voice nearly a wail, "Lucrezia~! You promised  
never to talk about that again!! You promised!"  
  
Noin shrugged, "You were acting like a complete fool. I had to do  
something."  
  
The blond girl was silent.  
  
Noin placed a comforting hand on Relena's shoulder.  
  
"You... like him, don't you?"  
  
Silence enveloped the room.  
  
*****  
  
Relative silence permeated the small passenger cabin, the only audible  
sounds emanating from the vehicle's engine and the surroundings as it sped  
through the deserted streets of the city of Los Angeles.  
  
Handing over control of the car to the onboard navigation system, Duo  
turned, focused his gaze on his silent companion. Heero was making a show of  
staring out the window, one arm resting on the ledge of the door, while the  
other sat motionless on his lap. Both his hands were bandaged in makeshift  
fashion, the cloth used already stained red by the wounds Heero had received  
in the process of preventing Duo from becoming a shish kebab.  
  
Duo paused, continuing to look the boy over. Heero was taller than the  
average Japanese, or so thought Duo, slimly built but not overly  
proportioned as to make him seem chunky. Soft brown locks fringed a pair of  
deep prussian blue eyes; both were not normal Asian colours, but what was  
there that was normal about Heero Yuy, anyway? He was always aloof and  
withdrawn, constantly surprising people with yet another amazing feat...  
like that time at the marina when he'd still managed to launch those  
missiles despite having been shot twice in the arm and in the leg...  
  
Duo blinked.  
  
*Something must've gone wrong with my memory circuits...*  
  
Tentatively rubbing the large bump on his head, Duo winced.  
  
"Are you okay?"  
  
Duo glanced over at his companion, "Yeah, I'll be fine. Don't worry about  
it... it takes more than one raving maniac to take -me- down." He grinned,  
pointing a finger at Heero's hands, "How about you? You feeling better?"  
  
The American youth watched as Heero glanced down at his hands. For a moment,  
the Japanese youth said nothing, though Duo could detect his hands trembling  
ever so slightly.  
  
"Duo..."  
  
The braided one waited.  
  
"I... I have blood on my hands, Duo."  
  
Duo Maxwell blinked. What was wrong with the guy? He scratched at his chin,  
"Uh... yeah? You were injured, remember?"  
  
Heero shook his head softly, bringing his gaze up to look at the braided  
youth.  
  
A rush of concern filled Duo. Heero's expression was one of anguish.  
  
Heero's face was one that exuded an innocence that spoke volumes... to see  
such anguish and sadness was heartwrenching.  
  
The braided youth found his voice, "... what's wrong, Heero?"  
  
"I killed today, Duo. I -murdered-. Somewhere... that man's family will  
weep... because of my foolishness."  
  
*****  
  
"I've -never- heard anything more outrageous! How could you say such a  
thing?!"  
  
Lucrezia Noin grinned, taking another sip from her not-quite-coffee,  
not-quite-whisky as she watched Relena sputter with righteous indignation.  
  
"Say what you will, Lena. You're only making me even more certain."  
  
Relena Darlian's face was a flushed red. She too took another sip from her  
cup, before topping it up again from the metal canister. She swayed a little  
in her seat.  
  
"How ludicrous, Lucrezia! You must have too much free time on your hands, to  
be concocting up such tales! Why... I have half a mind to tell Zechs to  
throw a few more duties your way! I mean, what could possibly compel you  
into thinking I like Heero, anyway? Even -I- don't know why I like him!"  
  
Relena Darlian blinked a little as her words sunk in. Sighing, she emptied  
her glass.  
  
Lucrezia Noin allowed herself a small smirk.  
  
*****  
  
The memories stirred.  
  
*Hilde...*  
  
*C'mon Blake! Hurry up! We're gonna be late!*  
  
The sound of laughter. The joy. That feeling of warmth. Love.  
  
*Blake, honey, are you okay?*  
  
*Don't wait up for me, okay? I'm gonna be late, and you'll be needing your  
rest for tomorrow's -big- day.*  
  
*Way to go, honey! You did good!*  
  
A life long past.  
  
*Welcome to your new life, kid. I think you'll be pleased with what we've  
done.*  
  
*Eliminate them all.*  
  
*Destroy the target.*  
  
*All systems functioning in normal parameters.*  
  
*Number Two, go see the girl. You will act normally, and you will do so  
until further notice. Number One, return to position.*  
  
*Hilde...*  
  
Within the maternal confines of Sister, Solo Maxwell slept.  
  
*****  
  
Zechs Merquise stood up, stretching a little and trying to keep from yawning  
as he surveying the command room. All the systems were back online and  
functioning normally. Apart from the lack of staff manning the various  
stations, all was as normal. The five scientists had led Quatre out of the  
room a while back, setting him up in private quarters to allow him to rest;  
apparently deactivating an entire command center and pulverizing ten guards  
was tiring work, even for an enhanced newtype.  
  
A small noise behind him caught his attention, and he turned. Despite the  
circumstances, he allowed himself a small smile.  
  
"You've made it back. Finally."  
  
Duo stood at the door, his black jumpsuit torn and bloodied, supported by  
Heero, who didn't seem to be in any better condition. The Japanese youth  
directed the braided teen to one of the chairs dotting the center, and  
helped him get into it. Silently, he spared Zechs a quick glance, and left  
the room abruptly, without a word.  
  
Zechs raised a questioning eyebrow, directing it at Duo, who shook his head,  
"Long story, and I'm too beat to tell it again. Find out from the log,  
okay?" Pressing a few controls at the side of the chair, a small slot in the  
console in front of the braided teen opened up, and he inserted his right  
hand into the slot. The console beeped and whirred, made the necessary  
connections to Duo's memory and began the download.  
  
Meanwhile, the white-blond had activated a portable hand-scanner and was  
running it across Duo's frame, "Good news, you're not that badly injured.  
Most of your biologicals are intact and functioning, but some of your  
cybernetics will definitely need some regeneration work - they bore the  
brunt of the assault, whatever it was."  
  
"That's what they're supposed to do, aren't they? The cybernetic  
augmentations enhance and protect the weaker biological parts."  
  
Zechs smirked, "Don't start lecturing me about your cybernetics, Duo. I  
helped Professor Maxwell design parts of them."  
  
"Don't tell me... they're the ones that broke down on me today, right?"  
  
The older man shook his head in amusement, as the console in front of the  
braided teen beeped, indicating the data transfer was complete, "Go see  
Sister, Duo. She'll have you fixed in no time."  
  
He paused, "Consider yourself lucky... Solo's gonna be in there for at least  
another six hours... and he's already been there for five."  
  
A flash of concern crossed Duo's face, "What happened to him?"  
  
Zechs smirked back at him, "Long story, and I'm too beat to tell it again.  
Find out from the log, okay?"  
  
Duo grinned, "Bastard."  
  
*****  
  
Heero Yuy lay silently on the bed in the small quarters that had been  
assigned to him within the compound. It was the same place he had woken up  
at the first time he'd come to see the five scientists. The place where  
everything had changed.  
  
The makeshift bandages that had bound his hands lay strewn on the floor,  
right next to the bloodied jumpsuit he had worn...  
  
It kept on playing inside his head... over and over again. The shouting. The  
panic. He lashed out.  
  
A man died.  
  
He looked down at his hands. They were clenched into fists.  
  
*Why?*  
  
*Why me?*  
  
Not feeling like asking Zechs for his clothes back, he shook his head, got  
up and opened the small wardrobe adjacent to the bed. A modest variety of  
casual wear stared back at him, and he simply grabbed the first two he could  
find - a pair of dark blue denim jeans and a dark green sleeveless vest.  
  
Tugging the clothes on, he caught a glance of himself in the full-length  
mirror next to the wardrobe. For a fleeting second, a tinge of familiarity  
filled him, but being in such a somber mood didn't allow him to dwell to  
much on it.  
  
All he saw in the mirror was a killer.  
  
*****  
  
Relena Darlian muttered under her breath as she tried to balance the tray of  
food she was carrying while walking down the corridor.  
  
Having learnt that Duo and Heero had returned, Lucrezia had insisted she  
bring some 'nourishment' to Heero, in exchange for her silence on Relena's  
little secret. Lucrezia had a funny smile on her face when she said that,  
but Relena's mind was too fuzzy to register it immediately. When it finally  
did, Relena had blinked and turned to Lucrezia to try and clarify, but the  
other girl had faceplanted herself on the countertop and was snoring away.  
  
Relena had sighed, got up, and started preparing a tray of sandwiches and  
some hot cocoa.  
  
Now, she wobbled slightly as she tried to balance the tray. Her head was  
throbbing.  
  
*How long do those freakin' alcohol inhibitors take to work anyway?!*  
  
After an eternity, she reached Heero's spartan quarters. She raised her  
hand, poised to knock on the door.  
  
*What the -hell- are you doing, Relena Darlian?*  
  
She sighed. And knocked.  
  
*****  
  
The Japanese youth heard the light knock on his door, but he didn't respond  
immediately.  
  
It was only after the knocking got more insistent that he leapt out of the  
bed, ready to tell whoever it was to go away.  
  
He opened the door, and found himself staring at Relena, bearing a tray of  
food.  
  
He gawked, his concerns temporarily disappearing. Relena, the one who hated  
his guts, stared daggers at him and snubbed him at every opportunity... was  
bringing him food?  
  
He froze, uncertain, "Uh..."  
  
Relena didn't look too comfortable herself, "The higher-ups thought you  
might need this... can I come in?"  
  
Heero blinked, but managed to stammer out an affirmative answer.  
  
*****  
  
Relena set the tray of food down on the table as Heero shut the door behind  
them. She turned around, and spotted him standing next to the doorway,  
looking sheepish as he ran a hand through his hair.  
  
It was odd seeing him do that. The clothes looked awfully familiar... they  
even looked good on him, in a way. -He- looked good in them. He had the sort  
of frame that complemented anything he wore, she found herself thinking.  
  
She jumped slightly as she realised what it was she was thinking. Shaking  
her head slightly, she looked away, trying not to notice the puzzled look  
that creased the boy's face.  
  
Bending down to gather the clothes on the floor, she began, "I don't suppose  
you'll be needing these anytime soon... I'll drop them at laundry on the way  
out. "  
  
Walking towards the door, she paused, "You'd better eat that before it gets  
cold." She looked at him.  
  
He was back on his bed, sitting down and looking away. There was a sort of  
faraway look in his eyes, one that spoke volumes about...  
  
She dropped the clothes on the ground, and, against her better judgement,  
walked over to him and, sitting down next to him, placed a hand on his  
shoulder. His shoulder felt warm and firm to the touch, and she blinked in  
surprise, uncertain of the emotions touching him evoked in her.  
  
To her credit, Heero seemed equally startled. He jumped slightly when she  
put her hand on him, and turned around to stare at her.  
  
They remained like that, for a moment.  
  
Relena broke the silence.  
  
"What happened out there, Heero?"  
  
With that one sentence, something inside the boy seemed to melt. Everything  
started poring out - everything that had happened to him during the mission  
with Duo, the meeting with Wufei, Duo's injuries... and the guard he killed.  
By the time he was done, there were tears forming in his eyes.  
  
Slowly, he put his head in his hands, "I don't know what to do anymore..."  
  
There was an uncomfortable pause, one that was soon broken by the small  
laugh that came from Heero. Looking up at the girl next to him, he shook his  
head, "I'm sorry... I don't know what came over me. You're probably tired;  
it's late and I'm keeping you from your sleep. I shouldn't have. Look, I  
know you hate me and all that... I don't know why, but-"  
  
He was cut short... by Relena leaning over. For a moment, they stared at  
each other.  
  
Lips met.  
  
Heero's eyes bulged in shock, though not in the same way as it had with  
Misako.  
  
This was wrong... yet...  
  
... it seemed so right.  
  
*What on earth is going on?*  
  
Relena was the first to break the kiss. She leaped off the bed, her face  
deep red. From the heat surging up into his cheeks, he knew he didn't look  
any different.  
  
She stammered, "I... I have to go."  
  
Without another word, she rushed out of the room, the door slamming behind  
her.  
  
*****  
  
*C'mon Blake! Hurry up! We're gonna be late!*  
  
The sound of laughter. The joy. That feeling of warmth. Love.  
  
*Blake, honey, are you okay?*  
  
*Don't wait up for me, okay? I'm gonna be late, and you'll be needing your  
rest for tomorrow's -big- day.*  
  
*Way to go, honey! You did good!*  
  
A life long past.  
  
*Welcome to your new life, kid. I think you'll be pleased with what we've  
done.*  
  
*Number Two, go see the girl. You will act normally, and you will do so  
until further notice. Number One, return to position.*  
  
*Hilde...*  
  
His eyes snapped open.  
  
*****  
  
The door to the command center had barely slid open to let Duo out when an  
insistent red light began flashing on the main control board, accompanied by  
a continuous beeping. Noticing the sound, the braided teen paused in the  
doorway as Zechs went to check.  
  
His face was grim, "Something's wrong with Sister."  
  
"What?!" Duo was instantly next to Zechs, his expression worried, "What's  
wrong with her?"  
  
"I don't know...", came the reply, as the white-blond brought up the visual  
feed from the maintenance room where Sister was housed. He gasped.  
  
Duo backed away, "No..."  
  
The whole room looked as though a tornado had ripped right through it -  
damaged equipment lay strewn all over the floor, along with papers and files  
and repair tools. And Sister, the machine on which Duo and Solo relied on  
for their continued survival...  
  
Sister was trashed. Deep gashes ran along the pristine white shell. Dents  
and creases and sections where the metal casing warped in dotted the  
machine. All her operational lights were dead.  
  
Duo sat down heavily in one of the chairs.  
  
One of the internal communication channels activated, and the stern visage  
of the duty security guard appeared on a small adjacent screen.  
  
"Director, we have a possible intruder within the compound. I have reports  
of at least five on-duty patrol guards dead, all killed in the same manner -  
their necks were snapped clean. I have also been informed that a small  
section of the ground level perimeter fence has been destroyed. Recommend  
that we commence a full scale search for the intruders immediately."  
  
Zechs glanced quickly at Duo before answering, "No need for that, chief. The  
situation is under control. We're handling it from here."  
  
"Understood. Out."  
  
Duo shook his head as he turned to look at Zechs, "... why?"  
  
"I don't know, Duo.... I don't know."  
  
Zechs sighed. It was going to be a long night. He braced himself, and  
prepared to inform the scientists about the latest development.  
  
*****  
  
The loud crashing sound resounded throughout the apartment. Hilde Schbecker  
wasn't exactly a light sleeper, but the noise immediately roused her from  
sleep. A rush of adrenalin cleared her sleep-induced haze. She glanced at  
her watch. 4:46am.  
  
Her ears picked up a noise... coming from her living room.  
  
She tensed. This was supposed to be a safe district... there had been no  
robberies in the entire time she'd been staying here. Activating the  
emergency button on her wrist communicator that would alert the authorities,  
she reached beneath her bed, pulling out a large baseball bat. She allowed  
herself a small smile, reminding herself to thank Blake for giving it to  
her.  
  
If she got to see him again.  
  
Hefting the bat, she took small tentative steps to her door, crossing out  
into the hallway and creeping slowly towards the source of the noise.  
Pausing behind the wall that would lead into the living room, she reached  
in... and flicked the light switch.  
  
Leaping out from behind the wall, she dashed into the room, brandishing the  
bat.  
  
She jerked to a halt.  
  
Blake stood there, dressed in his usual garb. The only thing was, he looked  
injured... and his hands were covered in blood.  
  
She dropped the bat, rushing over to him, "Blake! What happened? Oh, God!  
What happened to you?"  
  
Oddly, despite his injuries, he was still standing poised and upright. He  
had a small grin on his face.  
  
"Hilde..."  
  
The concern was evident on her face, "Tell me where you're hurt, Blake. I'll  
see what I can do... no... I'd better call the hospital..."  
  
"No."  
  
She turned to him, "What?"  
  
He shook his head, "I'm fine, Hilde..."  
  
He reached out, drawing her into an embrace, hugging her.  
  
"There's nothing wrong with me, Hilde. I was the first, Hilde. I'm better.  
I... I just missed you so."  
  
Held in his arms, a tinge of worry crept into the girl.  
  
"Blake..."  
  
*****  
  
TO BE CONTINUED... hopefully soon, ne? ^_^ (I'm so evil.)  
  
"Irane yo! Abunai ryu!" - Hanabishi Recca  
  
Sandrock  
Keeper of the Wing Chronicles  
Guardian of the Heart of the Universe  
Wanna glomp Chichiri? Van? Duo? Recca?  
Proud Member of Glomp Fest 2000 NO DA!  
  



	3. Default Chapter Title

Well, minna.  
  
I did promise that when my Christmas hols started, I'd begin writing a lot  
more of my fics, and today I fulfill a small part of that promise. ^_^  
Yes, Chapter 8 of Kindred Spirits is done... despite the fact that I got  
really limited response to the teaser I sent out a while ago... :P  
  
This chapter was supposed to be a lot longer, according to the outline I  
prepared for it prior to starting. However, as I progressed, I realised that  
the fic was getting waayy too long. Every KS fic to date has been of  
approximately equal length... about 5000 - 7000 words each. I realised that  
if I were to write this chapter from start to end as I'd planned, it  
would've hit in excess of 12000-14000 words, and I can't have that, now can  
I?  
  
So, instead this is what happened - I split the chapter into two parts and  
I'll be starting on pt. II almost immediately. ^_^ That leaves me with part  
I at a nice bouncy 6300 words.  
  
So... enjoy Chapter 8 part I. ^_^ And remember, feed the fic writer. ^_^  
  
DECISIONS part I - Chapter 8 of the KINDRED SPIRITS saga  
Written by Sandrock(sandrock@gundamwing.mailbox.as)  
  
  
LEGAL DISCLAIMER  
GW belongs to someone else. That's why KINDRED SPIRITS is a fanfic and not  
an OVA series.  
  
Content Guideline - violence, mild suggestive material  
  
April 19th, After Century Year 195, 4:46am.  
  
The wide comforting folds of the armchair surrounded him as he stared out of  
the expansive windows that overlooked a panoramic vista of nature - a lush  
parkland of trees and bushes accentuated with a sprawling lake. The sounds  
of nightbirds filled the air, and the occasional cricket added its own  
melody to the orchestra of the night.  
  
Behind him, flames crackled cheerily in an old-fashioned fireplace; their  
chaotic dance throwing flickers of light across the darkened oak-panelled  
room. A large four-poster bed sat a short distance away, bedcovers in  
disarray.  
  
The man sighed, and placed his glass of sherry down on the large rosewood  
table. He got up slowly, his careful movements speaking of age and frailty.  
  
He hated the Dreams. They came more frequently these days - ever since his  
retirement two months ago. He knew the official reasons the authorities gave  
for the Dreams, but he could not help but wonder.  
  
It was odd, really. The Dreams always left him on edge - there was utter  
darkness, a blackness that spoke of an utter and complete void. It left him  
feeling as though he were not meant to be, that he was not meant to be here.  
  
While he still worked, the Dreams had been different. Then, they had been  
innocent - a subtle feeling every so often that he had chosen the wrong path  
in life - that his true calling lay elsewhere. But, he was a professional,  
dedicated to his work - he knew what was expected of him and what rested on  
his success.  
  
At least the Dreams had also showed him the boy. At least... that much  
convinced him that something he was doing was right.  
  
The communications console on the redwood table sprang to life with an  
insistent beeping, breaking the man's train of thought. He turned slowly,  
recognising the face on the screen almost instantaneously.  
  
He spoke, his voice raspy yet deep, "It's been a while, J."  
  
J nodded, the light from the console flickering, "Not that long. Are you  
well?"  
  
A raspy laugh emerged from his throat, "I am as well as I was when we last  
met, J. Bored to tears from lack of activity to keep me occupied, but  
otherwise well. And you? How are you? Still fighting the good fight, I  
take it?"  
  
The other man smiled, "Doubtlessly."  
  
Picking up the glass, the elderly man took a sip, "Shall we get down to the  
crux of the matter, J? There can only be one reason why you'd call me in the  
middle of the night."  
  
"I see you are as observant as always, Charles."  
  
The elderly man allowed himself a small smile, "You know me too well. So,  
what have our two little wonders done now?"  
  
J paused, as though considering, "It's Solo, Charles. I've just been told  
he's gone berserk. He destroyed Sister and part of the compound. He has  
killed no less than five people during his escape and I fear that may just  
be the tip of the iceberg. I cannot afford a crisis such as this at such a  
crucial juncture..."  
  
The scientist paused again, "... but I am at a loss as to what I should do.  
I cannot afford to lose Solo, but I cannot risk the questions that will be  
raised should he murder others and should he be found. Duo is injured, and  
without Sister, I don't know if he would be able retrieve his twin. We've  
located Solo, and I've sent Zechs to attempt to negotiate with him with a  
security force of twenty to back him up... but frankly speaking, we both  
know that Solo is more than capable of neutralising a force thirty times  
that size should he turn on them... I could use-"  
  
The elderly man interrupted J's discourse, "He went to see the girl, didn't  
he?"  
  
J blinked for a second, then nodded silently.  
  
The man shook his head slowly, "I told you that was a bad decision, J."  
  
"We had no choice, Charles. I couldn't have let both maintain the status  
quo; sooner or later, something would've become suspect."  
  
Charles smiled wryly, "And look what just happened."  
  
J frowned, "You're not helping, Charles."  
  
Charles laughed again, "Patience, old friend, has never been your strong  
point. Of course I will help. I will be there in the morning, J. In the  
meantime..."  
  
He paused, "... you have to neutralise Solo. I left you the means to do so.  
Use them."  
  
J shook his head, "I can't afford to lose him, Charles. He's too valuable. I  
have to find another way to bring him back."  
  
Reaching out to open one of the drawers on his table, Professor Charles  
Maxwell drew out a small, sealed, gray box. Toying with it, he proffered it  
in the direction of the screen, "Trust me, James. I have the solution to all  
your problems."  
  
J stared at the gray box for a long moment, recognition registering in his  
eyes, "...thank you, Charles."  
  
Charles Maxwell smiled, "No, James. Thank you. I did say that I was bored to  
tears... you always did have good timing."  
  
"I shall be there in the morning. In the meantime, you should do what must  
be done. Until then, James."  
  
The screen shut off.  
  
*****  
  
The food lay untouched.  
  
Motionless on the bed, Heero Yuy was a jumble of emotion and feelings.  
  
*I'm a killer...*  
  
*Her lips were so soft...*  
  
*Killer...*  
  
*Soft...*  
  
The dead guard, motionless and cold.  
  
The startled look on her face as she broke the kiss.  
  
Frustrated, the Japanese youth swung a fist out wildly, connecting with an  
adjacent wall. A deep crack formed where his fist impacted, and he turned  
away, disgusted.  
  
The door chime rang again. Jerking up into a standing position, his eyes  
widened. His heart was pounding. Did she come back? Who was it?  
  
Hastily, he crossed the distance to open the door.  
  
And found himself staring at the injured form of Duo Maxwell.  
  
He frowned. Why wasn't Duo being repaired by Sister? The kid had clearly  
taken quite a beating in the confrontation with Wufei, even if he was trying  
to hide it.  
  
The braided youth's demeanour was grim.  
  
"Something's happened, Heero. The professors need us."  
  
The Japanese youth looked away, "Duo... I... I don't think I can..."  
  
Duo stopped him before he could finish the sentence, "Heero... I need you. I  
can't do this alone, not right now. Not in this condition. Don't say  
anything, Heero.... just come. Please."  
  
The braided youth stared wordlessly at the other boy, his large amethyst  
eyes meeting Heero's deep prussian blue. Perhaps it was something in that  
gaze, but for a moment, Heero Yuy found himself seeing a vulnerable and  
uncertain youth, and not an efficient killing machine.  
  
Duo smiled slightly, grabbing the other boy's arm and leading him away.  
  
*****  
  
"You can't be serious, J."  
  
The one known as J turned slowly, allowing his gaze to meet his fellow  
professors. He sighed.  
  
"It is his advice, and I am compelled to follow it, as should you."  
  
G's eyes narrowed, "I fail to see why, J."  
  
Scratching thoughtfully at his cheek, J started pacing, "He is their  
creator, G. I value his advice when it comes to the two of them. If he says  
he has a plan, I believe I can trust him. We have worked with him time and  
again, and he has never failed to deliver. He is trustworthy."  
  
"But he does not know the complete truth of the matter in this case, does  
he?"  
  
J paused, turning to look at O, who was seated at the table a short distance  
away from where he paced, "He knows more than you give him credit for, O."  
  
H interjected, seated as he was next to O, "Is Ms. Schbecker aware of this  
latest development? What does she say? Will our actions... should we take  
Charles Maxwell's advice... have any adverse effects?"  
  
J shook his head, "No, Ms. Schbecker... Mrs. Maxwell, rather, is not aware.  
I've sent a member of the staff to rouse her, and she should be joining us  
shortly."  
  
The professors turned in unison as the door opened with a soft hissing  
sound. J allowed himself a small smile as he walked over to the large table  
and sat down, joining his fellows.  
  
"Duo. Heero. Be seated, please."  
  
*****  
  
Heero stared silently at the five scientists seated primly in a row in front  
of him and Duo. He shook his head, wondering why he'd let Duo drag him into  
this in the first place. Everytime he met with the scientists, something  
else would go wrong...  
  
Everytime he met with the scientists... something -had- gone wrong.  
  
He continued to stare for a moment before asking, "Is this about Wufei?"  
  
J folded his hands on the tabletop, "No, Heero... it is not. More pressing  
problems have arisen, and Wufei, though a major threat now that his true  
personality has been restored, is not likely to act with any immediacy. We  
have some time with regards to that problem."  
  
He continued, "As you may already be aware... something has happened to  
Solo."  
  
Heero blinked.  
  
Duo simply nodded, his face a stolid mask. Heero frowned. That certainly  
wasn't normal for the braided youth.  
  
The professor was continuing, "Solo... has apparently... escaped. In the  
process, he has destroyed Sister, and killed some of our staff. Though we  
have managed to track down his location, he refuses to acknowledge our  
attempts at communication and does not appear to be acting in any normal  
rational manner."  
  
G interrupted, "Solo had been sent to retrieve Quatre Winner, and was badly  
injured by the immense newtype powers that have manifested within the boy  
when Quatre reacted strongly to Solo's presence."  
  
Heero frowned, remembering his last meeting with the professors and the  
elder Hilde Schbecker where Zechs had barged in with a report on how agents  
sent to retrieve this Quatre had come back with their minds in tatters.  
  
The professor was still speaking, "... we suspect that Solo was more damaged  
by that assault than we originally surmised, quite likely some severe  
internal damage that Sister had not got round to fixing before he went  
berserk." He looked at J.  
  
A creased frown marred J's forehead, "Once we discovered where Solo went, we  
immediately sent Zechs and a security force to talk to him, to try and bring  
him back. But, to be perfectly frank, even in his damaged condition, enough  
repairs were effected by Sister on Solo that he is still powerful enough to  
decimate that force should he turn violent."  
  
Heero interrupted with a snort, "So you want us to go back Zechs up, is that  
it?" He shook his head in disbelief. Duo was still silent.  
  
J eyed Heero, "We require you to go join Zechs and to assess the  
situation. Our top concern is to prevent Solo from causing too much damage,  
and to prevent him from inadvertently revealing his true nature. However, we  
believe that, based on his actions, Solo is no longer behaving rationally,  
and may not be able to be reasoned with. That is why Zechs is there, and why  
we are sending you there."  
  
"If Solo cannot be dealt with peacibly, Zech's force has no chance of  
stopping him. That is where you two come in."  
  
The professor paused, "However... it is not feasible to force his return  
here. Duo is not as badly injured as Solo, and the two of you would be able  
to incapacitate him, but we have no facilities here that would be able to  
hold him for long against his will... I trust you remember your own run-in  
with the restraining field, Heero. Solo and Duo have also been immunised  
against the effects of sedatives and other poisons..."  
  
"Essentially, Solo cannot be confined."  
  
The Japanese youth frowned again, his eyes narrowing as he began to suspect  
the direction this conversation was taking. He glanced over at Duo. The  
braided youth was still silent, sitting quietly in the chair, looking down.  
*Does... does he know?*  
  
A slight 'thunk' caught Heero's attention, and his gaze came up in time to  
see J placing a small black device on the tabletop.  
  
"Therefore... we feel we have no choice but to take the following course of  
action."  
  
He waved the device in the air, "This is Solo's remote termination trigger.  
It has an effective range of ten meters. It is a fail-safe, a system devised  
by Solo's and Duo's creator, that will automatically shut down all of Solo's  
cybernetic augmentations."  
  
Still frowning, Heero leaned forward, "What'll happen to Solo then?"  
  
J met his gaze, "The cybernetic augmentations are an integral part of both  
Solo and Duo... they cannot survive without them."  
  
Heero's eyes widened, "You want us to go kill his brother?" He jabbed a  
finger in Duo's direction.  
  
J looked away, "There is no other choice, Heero."  
  
"I won't do it."  
  
G spoke up gently, "You have to, Heero. There is no one else."  
  
The Japanese youth stood up, looking at G. His voice was strangely calm,  
"Ever since I met the five of you, nothing.... nothing has made sense. I've  
lost everything.. my identity... my past... my family. My world was turned  
upside down, and what did I get in return? Abilities I never asked for.  
Abilities I don't want. On the first mission your people sent me on, I  
killed a man. I've never killed before. I never thought I would have to  
kill."  
  
He turned to J, "And now... now you tell me that you want me to go kill  
Solo? Duo's twin?"  
  
Heero turned around, already walking towards the doorway, "I'm sorry. I  
won't do it."  
  
He turned back to face the professors, his voice suddenly hard, "Go find  
another pawn to play your little games. I'm done."  
  
Turning to Duo, his voice turned soft once again, "C'mon, Duo. Let's get out  
of here."  
  
The braided youth didn't respond.  
  
For the umpteenth time that day, Heero frowned, "Duo?"  
  
Duo Maxwell turned to look at the Japanese youth, his eyes blank, his face  
emotionless. Heero paused, oddly unsettled at seeing the normally exuberant  
youth behaving this way. It took him a moment to realise that Duo was  
speaking.  
  
"I have to do it, Heero. There's no other choice."  
  
The boy's words mirrored the scientists'. Heero eyed the boy suspiciously.  
Were the professors controlling him somehow? His eyes widened, as he  
remembered something Zechs had told him once. *Duo and Solo aren't  
violent... but they are programmed to be completely committed to duty, and  
to perform to the best of their ability. And when duty requires them to  
kill... they kill.* (ed - KS chapter 3!)  
  
*When duty requires them to kill... they kill.*  
  
Heero's gaze fell on the professors. He glared, his disgust undisguised,  
"Bastards."  
  
J shook his head, "We do what we must, Heero. The fate of the world is far  
more important than any one person, and when sacrifices are needed, we must  
make them. Do not try to fight it, Heero. You are as much part of this as we  
all are. You need to work with us, or all will be lost."  
  
He looked back at the boy glaring at him, "When that happens, no one will  
benefit."  
  
The Japanese youth let his gaze linger for another second, before turning  
around and leaving the room without another word.  
  
J sighed, "The boy is learning. At least he didn't shout and yell like he  
did with Hilde and the other times. He will come around."  
  
G peered at the doorway, "Speaking of Ms. Schbecker, where is she?"  
  
J shrugged, "On her way, I suspect. In the meantime..." He picked up the  
trigger and handed it to Duo, along with a storage chip with Solo's location  
information.  
  
"Understood, sir", came the bland reply.  
  
*****  
  
Held tightly in Blake's arms, Hilde Schebecker felt a twinge of unease. It  
didn't feel right. Normally, she would've jumped at the chance, but  
something seemed wrong about him today.  
  
Grasping her as though he would never let go, she felt his lips gently  
caressing her neck. He was whispering.  
  
"I was the first, Hilde. It should've been me."  
  
The unease grew stronger. Something was definitely wrong. She turned to face  
him, and tried to speak.  
  
"Blake..."  
  
"Shh."  
  
His eyes were narrowed, his expression dark. The braided youth turned his  
head, facing the empty hole in the wall where the main door used to be.  
Hilde frowned, noticing for the first time the remains of her front door  
lying on the ground.  
  
She didn't have much time to ponder, though. He was moving, releasing her  
from his tight embrace as he stood to face whatever it was he had heard  
coming up the staircase.  
  
Worry creased her face, "Blake... what's going on?"  
  
The one she knew as Blake shook his head, his long chestnut-brown braid  
waving, "Stay back, Hilde."  
  
The sound of footsteps were becoming faintly audible, and Hilde began to  
wonder if that had been the noise her fiance was so worked up about. But how  
had he heard...?  
  
She stifled a gasp as five men burst into the apartment, carrying large  
assault rifles and decked out in what appeared to be riot gear. From the  
sounds in the hallway, there were many more behind them...  
  
... but one man stood out in that large crowd.  
  
He was tall and dashingly handsome, with mesmerising ice-blue eyes and long  
white-blond tresses. Unlike the... riot troops surrounding him, the man was  
decked out in a pure-white ensemble, the only patch of color a small badge  
on the left side of his ivory jacket. He spared Hilde a quick glance before  
turning his full attention on Blake.  
  
Hilde forced herself not to stare at the heavily-armed men who had just  
stormed into her apartment, turning to look at Blake. For his part, her  
fiance was standing silently, facing the group confronting him. He didn't  
seem even the least bit afraid of them. *Blake... what have you got yourself  
into?*  
  
Hilde gathered up her nerves. Planting her hands on her hips, she spoke, not  
letting her voice crack, "I don't know who you are, but I think I deserve to  
know why you think you can come barging in here like you own the place. Let  
me warn you that I've already notified the authorities and they should be  
here at any moment."  
  
The man with the white-blond hair turned to face her, and Hilde found  
herself stepping back involuntarily.  
  
The man, however, appeared to be smiling, "Ms. Schbecker, I apologise for  
the intrusion, but we have to do what we must." He nodded at one of the men  
standing behind him.  
  
The guard acknowledged, walking across the room and coming to a halt next to  
Hilde. The man in white was speaking again.  
  
"I apologise again, Ms. Schbecker, but our business with... Mr. Richardson  
here is of a personal nature. We would appreciate it if we were allowed some  
privacy."  
  
Listening to the white-blond man speak, Hilde didn't notice the sedative  
applicator patch the guard had taken out. She was out like a light, falling  
unconscious into the guard's waiting arms.  
  
Zechs Merquise nodded, "Good. Take her into the bedroom. That way maybe  
she'll wake up thinking this was all just a bad-"  
  
He was interrupted.  
  
"Don't touch her."  
  
Zechs turned to face 'Blake', "Take it easy, Solo. We're not going to harm  
her. We're here to talk to you." The guard picked up Hilde, adjusting her  
sleeping form to make her easier to carry. He began to walk in the  
direction of the bedroom.  
  
Turning his attention back to Solo, Zechs started to speak again, "Now,  
Solo..."  
  
The braided youth's eyes had a strange gleam in them, "I said don't touch  
her!"  
  
Without warning, he charged.  
  
*****  
  
Heero Yuy ran through the seemingly-endless passageways of the  
organisation's underground installation. He ran without care and without  
purpose, not knowing how far or how fast he ran, not knowing where he was  
going.  
  
*Damn them...*  
  
He swerved violently, managing to avoid crashing into two patrolling guards.  
The startled shouts from the two guards didn't slow him down. He heard them  
breaking into a run, giving chase for a while before they gave up, either  
recognising who he was or realising they couldn't catch up. From the fact  
that no alarm sounded... probably the former.  
  
*Damn them all...*  
  
The labyrinthe corridors seemed to go on forever, but this suited Heero. He  
had to put as much distance between him and the scientists.  
  
*We do what we must, Heero*  
  
*Damn...*  
  
*The fate of the world is far more important than any one person*  
  
He continued to run.  
  
*when sacrifices are needed, we must make them.*  
  
*You need to work with us, or all will be lost.*  
  
*No... I don't want to... I won't!*  
  
The Japanese youth stopped suddenly as a familiar corridor came into view.  
Walking towards the end, he found himself looking at the remains of the  
bright-red entryway that led to Sister's room.  
  
Stepping into the room, Heero stared.  
  
The previously meticulously-clean room had been trashed. The professors  
certainly hadn't been kidding when they said Solo'd gone berserk.  
  
"Quite a sight, isn't it?"  
  
Heero Yuy turned around violently, facing the entryway.  
  
A blond youth stood at the door, his seemingly lanky frame wrapped in a  
large gray blanket. He had a small smile.  
  
The Japanese youth studied the newcomer, "Who are you?"  
  
The blond youth closed his eyes, "I feel for him... for Solo, you know. I  
could feel the pain within him when we met. Not at first, of course, not  
when I was still denying myself, but later. I knew his hurt... maybe even  
better than he did, since he was forced to ignore it."  
  
The youth paused for a moment, as though to compose himself, "It was eating  
at him so, even though he tried to mask it. He couldn't hide it from me,  
though. I could feel it, like a knife piercing into his side, slowly letting  
him bleed to death."  
  
Heero put two-and-two together, "You're Quatre Winner."  
  
Quatre nodded silently, then continued, "I couldn't let him go on like  
that... I had to set him free."  
  
Heero frowned, remembering the professors speculating as to the reason for  
Solo's damage, "You did that on purpose? You made him go berserk?"  
  
Quatre sighed, "In a way... I guess you could say I'm responsible... but  
then again, I'm not... not really. It's a long story."  
  
The Japanese youth looked away for a moment, "I think I know a little of  
it."  
  
The blond youth continued, "But no, I... or the other me, in fact, didn't  
'make' him go berserk. I simply helped him remove the command that binded  
him to the scientists' commands. All his actions are entirely his own."  
  
Quatre Winner turned to look at the remains of Sister, "In retrospect...  
perhaps it was a hasty decision. But the scientists are to blame. They  
thought they could bottle up the emotions of that boy and pretend that his  
feelings didn't exist. It was an explosion waiting to happen."  
  
Heero realised his hands were clenched into fists, "They're going to kill  
him, Quatre."  
  
Quatre looked down, "I know. Even though I don't choose to do so... I can  
tell."  
  
He turned, fixing his gaze squarely on Heero, "But don't you think he would  
prefer death over endless torment and the dream of what can never be?"  
  
The Japanese teen was silent. He turned away, but he could still hear the  
other boy talking.  
  
"I felt Solo's pain... and I had to do something about it. They don't treat  
him as an individual; they see him as a valuable weapon they can't afford to  
lose. I applaud their goals, but I do find myself concerned with their  
actions. They used Solo... just as they plan to use me..."  
  
He paused, "... and you, Heero Yuy."  
  
Heero blinked, caught by surprise.  
  
"I can feel your pain too, Heero. I know what bothers you."  
  
Quatre closed the distance between the two of them, taking Heero's hands  
into his, "Tomorrow, I intend to fly back to Singapore, Heero. There are  
matters I need to attend to before I can focus my attention on the problems  
we face here."  
  
He paused again, "I want you to come with me, Heero. From there, I can  
arrange to have you sent back to Japan."  
  
"I want to help you find your past, just as I wanted to help Solo."  
  
Heero was struggling with the suddenness of it all, "You're abandoning the  
scientists... and you want me to come with you?"  
  
A small chuckle escaped from Quatre, "No, Heero. I told you I applaud their  
goals. Their intentions are pure; I can see that. For that reason alone, I  
intend to aid them to the best of my ability... and I think you should too.  
They're right, you know." He gazed knowingly at Heero, and the Japanese boy  
found himself looking away.  
  
Quatre was still speaking, "You and I, we chose out of our own free will to  
help the professors. Solo didn't... and that's why I chose to release him  
from his pain. You... I choose to help because I know that you won't be able  
to... fight as you should... not until you come to terms with your past."  
  
"Come with me, Heero."  
  
*****  
  
Relena Darlian worked the controls to the laundry disposal unit furiously.  
Muttering several annoyed epithets under her breath, she reminded  
herself -NEVER- to listen to Lucrezia Noin ever, ever again.  
  
She blushed, remembering the way she had behaved with that Heero kid.  
  
*How can I ever face him again?*  
  
Clutching at the bloodied jumpsuit she had taken from his room, she paused,  
her hand over the disposal chute.  
  
*But... it was kinda fun. And he is... kinda... cute. And strong. Definitely  
strong.*  
  
She found herself briefly toying with the idea of what it must feel like to  
be held in his arms.  
  
*NO~! What on earth am I thinking?*  
  
Startled at her thoughts, she blinked furiously, dumping the clothes into  
the chute and hurriedly ran out into the corridor.  
  
And promptly bumped into someone.  
  
She stared, recognition coming almost immediately.  
  
The man smiled, speaking in his deep, raspy voice, "Relena, a pleasure to  
see you again."  
  
She found her voice.  
  
"Professor Maxwell..."  
  
The professor smiled, "In the flesh, young lady. How have you been?"  
  
Relena couldn't help but smile, "I've been better, Professor... we've all  
been better. What are you doing back here?"  
  
Charles Maxwell returned the smile, "A favour for the five old men you work  
for, dear girl. Which is a good thing I bumped into you... I don't have a  
clue where anything is and there don't appear to be any directories around  
this blasted place... I need to find Sister, Relena. I understand she's been  
destroyed, but I'll need some components from her if I'm to complete this  
favour..."  
  
Relena nodded, "I'll bring you straight there, then."  
  
*****  
  
With Charles Maxwell in tow, Relena Darlian rounded the corner that would  
lead to the corridor outside Sister's room. Laughing and chatting with the  
old man of their previous experiences within the installation, she didn't  
notice the duo walking towards them until they nearly bumped into each  
other.  
  
Irritably, she turned around, about to snap at the other to pay attention to  
where they were going.  
  
And found herself staring at Heero.  
  
For his part, he seemed as surprised as her, as though he hadn't realised  
she'd been walking past as well.  
  
In perfect unison, the two recoiled away from each other. Both were blushing  
furiously.  
  
Charles Maxwell stared with a raised eyebrow. Quatre Winner had a knowing  
smile plastered on his face.  
  
"We should be going." Heero's light tenor and Relena's soft alto sounded  
across the hallway simultaneously.  
  
Both youths blinked. There was a silence.  
  
Charles Maxwell broke that silence, "Indeed, we should. Lead on, Relena."  
  
Quatre nodded, "Let's go, Heero."  
  
*****  
  
"Well now, this certainly seems quite bad, indeed."  
  
Charles Maxwell allowed himself a little smile as he studied the wreckage  
that used to be Sister.  
  
Fiddling with the remnants of the control panel, he muttered, "I don't see  
how they expected me to be able to work under such conditions. I left them a  
perfectly useful device and this is what happens to it. No, no, this won't  
do. It won't do at all, I say."  
  
Motioning to Relena, he beckoned her closer, "Come help me with this, dear  
girl. I need you to hold down this control lever, and when I tell you, I  
need you to flip that switch over there."  
  
Relena nodded, taking the lever and stretched her other hand out towards the  
switch, readying herself.  
  
The elderly professor took up position next to her, his hands fixing on what  
appeared to be a damaged access panel. He nodded at the girl, "Now, Relena."  
  
She flipped the switch.  
  
A creaking sound emanated from the machine, accompanied by a slight  
whirring. Relena could make out the access panel attempting to open, and the  
professor aiding it. With a squeal of displeasure, the panel slowly slid  
open.  
  
Charles Maxwell straightened, his hand to his back, "Oh my... this is hard  
work, indeed."  
  
Turning back to the machine, he reached in, prodding around at Sister's  
internal components before fishing out several parts that Relena didn't  
recognise.  
  
A smile slowly spread across Maxwell's face as he ran a portable scanner  
over the salvaged parts, "There now... they're still in good working order!"  
  
Turning to Relena, his smile became broader, "You've been a wonderful help,  
dear. Now, I need one last favour from you. Do inform the professors that  
I've been here, and tell them that I've taken several components from  
Sister. Inform them that due to the state of the equipment, I will not  
be able to work on my project here. Tell them I shall be doing so at my  
residence, and that I will call when all is ready. Did you get all of that?"  
  
Relena nodded.  
  
*****  
  
"Ma'am? Ma'am? Are you in there?"  
  
Pressing the buzzer outside the doorway leading into Hilde  
Schbecker-Maxwell's rooms, the young staff member sighed.  
  
"Ma'am... the professors have ordered me to escort you to the conference  
room."  
  
The woman frowned, "Ma'am?"  
  
No response.  
  
"Ma'am... I'm coming in."  
  
Activating the keypad controlling the lock, she keyed in the emergency  
activation code. The door slid open automatically, accompanied by a soft  
siren. No doubt it's twin was blasting away at security central by now.  
  
Hilde Schbecker lay motionless on the bed. Hurrying to her side, the woman  
bent down, reaching under the bed for the emergency medical kit.  
  
Grabbing the medical scanner, she hurriedly waved it over Hilde's still  
form. She blinked, and looked back inside the medical kit as though  
confirming something.  
  
Activating her wristcom, she patched herself into the conference room's  
intercom.  
  
"Sir, this is Rosalind."  
  
The professor who answered sounded annoyed, "Yes, yes, what is it? Where is  
Ms. Schbecker?"  
  
"There's a slight problem, sir. I can't rouse Ms Schbecker. She appears to  
have been sedated. The only thing is, all the relaxants and sleeping aids in  
her room medical kit are untouched."  
  
The professor was silent for a moment.  
  
"I see... very well then. Leave Ms Schbecker alone. That will be all."  
  
"Yes, sir."  
  
*****  
  
Turning the corner, Duo Maxwell allowed himself to feel a small measure of  
relief. Even with his heightened senses, all he could hear coming from  
Hilde's apartment was the sound of Zechs talking.  
  
Hilde's apartment. He shook his head. When he'd discovered that had been  
Solo's destination...  
  
He frowned. The sounds were changing.  
  
Something was happening.  
  
He could hear Solo yelling now.  
  
Dashing forward, he crossed the remaining distance in a flash, grabbing  
hold of the edge of Hilde's doorway to brace himself as he came to an abrupt  
halt.  
  
And saw what he hoped never to see.  
  
Solo, cradling an unconscious Hilde in his arms, his hands wrapped tightly  
around her.  
  
Hands that were red... and dripping.  
  
There was blood everywhere. On Solo. On Hilde. On the floor, the carpet, the  
walls.  
  
Duo Maxwell froze. Had he harmed Hilde?  
  
He forced himself to calm down, assessing the situation. Solo. Hilde. Zechs.  
Nineteen guards with their weapons trained on Solo.  
  
The remains of one body on the floor, barely recognisable.  
  
The braided youth blinked, turning from Zechs to Solo. What on earth was  
going on?  
  
On his part, Solo Maxwell didn't appear to have noticed Duo's appearance,  
his attention and gaze squarely focused on Zechs Merquise. He was speaking.  
  
"I told you... don't touch her."  
  
Duo didn't give Zechs a chance to answer. He had to take charge of the  
situation before it got worse.  
  
Stepping up from behind Zechs, he spoke, his voice quiet and emotionless,  
"Hey, bro."  
  
Solo turned to face him. The youth was silent for a moment, motionless as he  
cradled Hilde in his arms. When he spoke, his voice was a match for Duo's,  
"Don't 'hey bro' me."  
  
Gently putting Hilde down on the nearby couch, he turned back to face his  
twin. He had a small dark smile on his face, "So... you finally came... came  
to collect your little prize, huh?"  
  
Duo started towards the other youth, "Solo, I..."  
  
Solo Maxwell stretched one hand out in front of him, pointing a finger at  
the other braided youth, "Don't come one step closer, Duo. I don't have  
anything to say to you. I know why you're here."  
  
Duo shook his head softly, whispering, "Do you.. really?"  
  
Solo laughed, "I'm not stupid. I know the professors aren't stupid too.  
They know this pathetic force that Zechs brought with him doesn't stand a  
chance against me. You're here to take me back."  
  
His eyes narrowed, "Or kill me, right?"  
  
Duo's eyes were wide. He seemed to be quivering. Again, he tried to speak,  
"Solo..."  
  
"I said, shut up!"  
  
Siding up next to Duo, Zechs looked straight at the boy, "Listen, Solo.  
There isn't a need to do this. Come back with us now. We can work this out  
somehow."  
  
Solo shook his head again, laughing, "I don't have to listen to you, Zechs.  
Maybe you can tell -him- to dance around on your puppet strings, but I'm  
done with all that. We can work it out, huh? You so sure about that? If we  
could've worked it out, why wasn't I allowed to see her? Huh? You ever  
asked -them- that? 'Number one, return to post and standby.' Yeah, right. I  
believe ya." He was staring fiercely at Zechs now, his eyes ablaze with  
fury.  
  
"Solo."  
  
His head whipped around as his twin spoke.  
  
Duo Maxwell had one hand concealed inside his jacket. Slowly, he drew it out  
into the open, revealing the device he held firmly in his grasp.  
  
Zechs blinked.  
  
Solo stared at the device for a moment. His eyes narrowed as he realised  
what it was. His lips curled up in disgust.  
  
"So... I was right. You are here to kill me."  
  
Duo closed his eyes, "No..."  
  
Solo Maxwell took a step closer, "Well... what're ya waiting for? You're the  
good boy, right? Always listening to orders? Forever the faithful lapdog...  
the willing lackey! Go ahead! Do it!"  
  
Another step. "Kill me."  
  
Duo Maxwell found himself taking a step back, "No..."  
  
From the sidelines, Zechs watched the situation warily, "Duo..."  
  
The braided youth whipped his head around, "I can't, Zechs... I can't do-"  
  
Solo Maxwell lunged. The two youths slammed into the ground. The device flew  
out of Duo's hand, hitting the wall with a huge crack.  
  
Fending off Solo's blows, Duo struggled, trying to get his twin off him  
without hurting him, "Solo, don't! I don't wanna fight you!"  
  
Solo snorted, "Quit with the act, will ya? I know you've wanted this.  
Hell, -I've- wanted this for a long time." He thrust an elbow into Duo's  
side.  
  
Standing, Solo dragged his twin up with him, lifting him off the ground and  
throwing him clear across the room. Duo landed noisily, crashing into the  
wall dividing Hilde's sitting room from her kitchen.  
  
In a daze, Duo blinked, trying to clear his vision.  
  
Solo began slowly walking towards his fallen brother, "You had her, Duo.  
They gave her to you. It should've been me. It should've been me..."  
  
The boy stopped in his tracks. His eyes bulged out.  
  
Duo started to get up, "Solo...?"  
  
Solo was trying to move now, one foot raised as though poised to take a  
step.  
  
He fell down, his whole body wracked with convulsions.  
  
"Solo!"  
  
Rushing over to Solo's fallen form, Duo Maxwell found himself cradling his  
twin, "Solo..."  
  
Tears were forming, but he hastily wiped them away. Looking around the room,  
his eyes came to rest on Zechs.  
  
Zechs, with his hand on the termination device, the main button depressed  
and a large red light blinking. He was looking away.  
  
"Duo..."  
  
The youth turned back, looking down at the brother he held in his arms.  
  
Solo's eyes had taken on a glazed look, "Duo..."  
  
Duo Maxwell blinked back tears, "... yeah, bro?"  
  
His hand came up to grip Duo's arm, "Duo..."  
  
"... I hate you. I hate you... so much."  
  
His eyes closed.  
  
*****  
  
EPILOGUE  
  
The components landed on the large redwood table with a light thunk. Walking  
over to the fireplace, the elderly man threw in another log, feeding the  
fire that burned within.  
  
He sighed, his gaze returning to the devices on the table. Crossing back,  
his hand came to rest on the sealed grey box.  
  
Charles Maxwell smiled.  
  
"To work, then."  
  
*****  
  
TO BE CONTINUED  
  
"Irane yo! Abunai ryu!" - Hanabishi Recca  
  
Sandrock  
Keeper of the Wing Chronicles  
Guardian of the Heart of the Universe  
Wanna glomp Chichiri? Van? Duo? Recca?  
Proud Member of Glomp Fest 2000 NO DA!  
  
  
  



	4. Default Chapter Title

DECISIONS pt. 2 - Chapter 9 of the KINDRED SPIRITS saga  
Written by Sandrock (sandrock@gundamwing.mailbox.as)  
(elsydeon@pacific.net.sg)  
  
LEGAL DISCLAIMER  
GW belongs to someone else. That's why KINDRED SPIRITS is a fanfic and not  
an OVA series.  
  
Content Guideline - violence, mild suggestive material  
  
April 19th, After Century(AC) Year 195, 5:30am  
  
The street was deserted. In the distance, the sound of a police siren wailed  
endlessly, a stark contrast to the silent rumbling of the few vehicles still  
on the roads in the early morning. The air was bitter cold, a horrid  
companion to the searing heat of the day - yet another sign of the reported  
malfunctions with the environmental control satellites in low orbit.  
  
In the shadows, they lurked... the dregs of society - the unwanted, the  
orphans, the homeless. The gangs, the drug addicts, the prostitutes.  
  
In the shadows, the boy walked. Silently. Aimlessly.  
  
Some turned to look at the boy. Most couldn't care less. A young kid,  
dressed in a tattered jumpsuit, yanked at the boy's chestnut-brown braid as  
he walked past. He ignored the boy. Some of the working girls tried to  
interest him in their services. He ignored them. Some of the hooligans  
thought he'd make a ripe target, ready for the picking.  
  
He soon taught them they'd have been better off ignoring him.  
  
And yet he walked.  
  
Silently. Aimlessly.  
  
*****  
  
It was a plain wooden box - simple, unvarnished, rough around the edges. In  
the tiny darkened room where it lay, it looked more like a cargo container  
in a warehouse waiting for transport. It certainly looked nothing like the  
coffin that it was supposed to be.  
  
The professor took a step forward, placing his hand on the wooden surface.  
  
"Zechs, I want you to arrange to have it brought down to the medical lab. J  
and the others are waiting for it. We have to learn why he went berserk. In  
the meantime, contact Relena and ask her to get her department to prepare a  
burial site in the compound."  
  
The white-blond nodded, "Yes, sir."  
  
Professor G paused. Looking up, he gazed at the other, "And Zechs..."  
  
"Yes, professor?"  
  
"No markings for the grave, Zechs. We don't need more questions. Ensure that  
Gardening restores the area to its previous state immediately after the  
burial."  
  
Zechs was silent for a moment.  
  
"... I understand, sir."  
  
The professor nodded, "Good lad. One last thing... I need to speak to Duo.  
Where is he?"  
  
Zechs shook his head, "Duo didn't return with us, sir. He said he wanted to  
walk a little before coming back."  
  
G's eyes narrowed, "And you let him?"  
  
The white-blond frowned, "Sir, it's not like I could've stopped him. He was  
rational and calm, sir. He did not overreact... to what he saw. I saw no  
reason to stop him."  
  
G nodded, "Alright, Zechs. Carry on."  
  
*****  
  
April 19th AC 195, 9:15am  
  
Heero tugged uncomfortably at the dark blue collared shirt he had chosen to  
replace the green sleeveless vest of the night before; the vest hadn't  
seemed proper attire to be in while walking around the city.  
  
It felt kind of good to be out in the open once again, making his way  
through the crowded morning streets of a chaotic city. After the events of  
the past twenty-four hours, even the slightest hint of normalcy was a  
cherished one.  
  
He shifted the haversack on his back into a more comfortable position, also  
to remind himself that it was still there. He glanced down at his watch.  
  
*9:17. Good. I'm still early.*  
  
The Japanese youth had agreed to meet Quatre Winner at his hotel in about an  
hour's  
time. The hotel in question wasn't that far away, which meant he could  
afford a leisurely stroll. He allowed himself a small smile.  
  
Glancing across the street, he found himself looking at the familiar red,  
white and yellow facade of a popular fast-food chain, and it was only then  
that he realised it'd been a while since he'd last eaten anything.  
  
Heero's stomach rumbled, and his thoughts returned to the tray of food that  
he'd left untouched in his room at Veritas the night before. The tray that  
Relena had brought for him.  
  
The youth shook his head. The girl remained an enigma to him. Like Duo and  
the rest, she was vaguely familiar... and the more time he spent around her,  
the more he realised how incoherent his thoughts became.  
  
No, he thought firmly. There are more important things for you to focus on  
right now, Heero. Your world's breaking apart around you and all you have on  
your mind is your hormones?  
  
As he pushed open the glass doors of the fast-food joint, a familiar shape  
standing in an adjacent alleyway caught his eye. He paused, moving out of  
the doorway to get a better look.  
  
*****  
  
Leaning against the rough wall of the alleyway, Duo Maxwell paused between  
bites, staring at the breakfast sausage muffin he had grabbed from the  
nearby fast-food outlet. He knew he needed to eat something. He was hungry  
and his internal status monitors registered that his cybernetic  
augmentations were  
running low on energy... they sourced their energy from the food his  
mostly-organic body consumed, but the requirements to keep the augmentations  
running were far higher than that of the organic components. The end result  
was simple... Duo had to eat a lot more than a normal teen his age.  
  
He snorted. *A normal teen your age, Duo? Ha. You're only three months old.  
The only other 'teen' your age... is dead.*  
  
He took another bite, then chucked the muffin aside in disgust. *How can you  
eat... let alone feel hungry... after what just happened?*  
  
*... I hate you...*  
  
Inside, he knew the answer... the self-preservation directives encoded into  
his memory enhancements forced him to do so... he couldn't 'starve' himself  
even if he wanted to.  
  
*... I hate you... so much.*  
  
He shook his head again.  
  
*Why, Solo? Why?*  
  
"Duo?"  
  
The braided youth blinked, and looked up.  
  
*****  
  
"Sir? It's 9:30, sir. You asked for a wake-up call."  
  
Squinting, Quatre Raberba Winner yawned, trying to blink the sleep out of  
his eyes. He gazed, his vision still a little blurred, in the direction of  
the voice.  
  
"Very well... thank you."  
  
Running a hand through his thick blond hair, Quatre tried to recall the  
events of the night before.  
  
After meeting up with Heero in Sister's room, they'd made their way over to  
the professors. The brief encounter with Relena and the old professor had  
proven amusing, and Quatre allowed himself a small smile. He didn't even  
need special powers to put two-and-two together about those two... the way  
they reacted had spoken volumes. It was surprising, or so Quatre thought,  
that even in times of greatest distress... there was some vestige of  
hope.  
  
The other surprise had been when they met up with the professors, only to  
find them most willing to agree to Quatre's plan. The young blond had  
prepared an emphatic speech to convince the professors to allow Heero to  
come with him, but it had proven unnecessary, as the professors had agreed  
almost before he'd finished speaking, on condition that Heero kept his  
communication device with him at all times and promised to report in daily.  
  
Something had been amiss in that meeting, Quatre sensed, but it had nothing  
to do with Heero. The professors were concerned about something else, as  
they should be... about Solo. Less than five minutes after the two of them  
had entered the room and proposed his plan, the professors had excused  
themselves and had the guards usher them out.  
  
He had then made plans with Heero to meet him the following morning, and had  
gone back to the hotel to get some sleep.  
  
The young blond yawned. It had been less than three hours since he fell  
asleep and his exhausted body was screaming for more.  
  
But there were things to be done. He eyed the employee who had woken him up,  
"Arrange for breakfast and send Rashid in, please. That'll be all."  
  
The man blinked, "Um... sir... Rashid was... remember?"  
  
Quatre frowned, "Rashid was what?"  
  
"Injured, sir. Yesterday, while you weren't here, sir. There was a huge  
ruckus coming from your room. Rashid had just returned from sending back  
those representatives from the agency you're in negotiations with and he  
went to investigate, but we didn't hear from him for a while. When we went  
to check, your room was destroyed and Rashid was severely injured. He's  
warded  
at a hospital nearby and the doctors report he will need several weeks to  
recover."  
  
Quatre froze.  
  
*Rashid was in the room?*  
  
He tried to recall the events that had occurred when Solo had arrived to  
escort him back. Rashid had told his staff that Quatre had gone out and that  
they were to turn away all visitors, but the professors had been persistent.  
The first two agents had been sent away instantly, but the next two had been  
more insistent and Rashid had had to have the two forcibly put into a  
vehicle and he had to drive them back to the organisation himself.  
  
The young blond shuddered as he recalled what he had done to the two as he  
watched their vehicle leave the hotel driveway, reaching into their minds,  
crushing and twisting until all that was left was a single phrase - 'their  
blood  
is on your hands. don't send anymore.'  
  
He hadn't liked doing it, but he had no choice. In the confused state that  
he'd been in at the time...  
  
Then Solo had arrived, blasting through the reinforced doors of his room as  
though they were paper. It was then that he realised his suspicions about  
the whole situation were quite confirmed... and that was when he drew a  
blank.  
His memory of events after that refused to return. All he remembered was his  
other self, the other personality within him that could speak to him and  
that was the manifestation of his newtype powers, speaking to him... warning  
him that he was losing control...  
  
and then... everything had gone blank.  
  
Until he woke up in the professors' command center, restrained physically  
and with his abilities suppressed.  
  
They had told him he'd gone berserk... that he'd trashed Solo and the room  
where they'd met.  
  
He shook his head in disgust. Rashid must've returned, only to be caught up  
in whatever he had done.  
  
How was he ever going to explain it to him? Would he even get a chance? He  
sighed.  
  
In a way, he was grateful to the professors. Somehow... knowing that they  
knew his problem, and knowing that they would help him with it... was a  
great assurance.  
  
Having his problem explained back to him... as J had done... had been...  
strangely calming.  
  
He frowned, though. In the rush of events of the night before, he hadn't  
realised it. But now, with some rest and a head that was slowly clearing...  
it was becoming obvious.  
  
His newtype powers were still there... he could sense the thoughts and  
emotions of the man in the room with him and even those of the people  
beyond.. and he could feel the latent powers simmering within him... the  
powers he had used to tear through anything in his way when he had raged the  
night before...  
  
... but the voice was gone.  
  
*****  
  
*Heero...*  
  
Wonder how he found me, the braided youth found himself thinking. Glancing  
the boy over, his gaze fell upon the large haversack the Japanese youth  
carried slung over one shoulder.  
  
Raising an eyebrow, Duo tried to form a small smirk, "Going somewhere,  
Heero?"  
  
To his surprise, the other boy nodded, "Yeah... I'm following Quatre back to  
Singapore. He wants to help me find out about my past, apparently."  
  
Duo blinked, "And the professors agreed?"  
  
Heero nodded.  
  
The braided youth looked down for a moment, "Well... great then. Have a safe  
trip."  
  
*Everyone's going...*  
  
"Are you okay, Duo?"  
  
Duo Maxwell looked up at the other boy, "Yeah... I'll be okay, Heero. I told  
ya... you don't have to worry about me... it takes a lot to to get me down,  
alright?"  
  
Out of the corner of his eye, the braided youth watched as Heero seemed to  
shuffle his feet for a moment, as though uncertain about what to say. It  
lasted barely a moment, however.  
  
"Duo... there's something you need to know about... about... Solo."  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"I found out... last night... that he went berserk because..."  
  
Duo looked away, "Because of the blond kid, right?"  
  
Heero paused, "You knew?"  
  
The braided youth allowed himself a small humourless smile, "I'm not dumb,  
Heero. I can put two and two together. Besides, the professors did say that  
they suspected it was his doing - throwing him around like that."  
  
Heero's eyes narrowed, "Duo... I don't think you're..."  
  
"Heero."  
  
The Japanese youth found Duo staring straight at him, matching his gaze.  
There was  
an odd calm emanating from them, strange considering the circumstances.  
  
"It's over, Heero. I don't need to know the details. It won't help at all.  
I'll be fine."  
  
The braided youth walked a slight distance away, "I just wanted to be alone  
for a while... that's why I didn't go back last night."  
  
Heero watched as he continued to walk down the alleyway, "I meant what I  
said, Heero... I'll be okay. You'd better getting moving or you'll be late.  
I'll see ya when you get back."  
  
He disappeared around the corner.  
  
*****  
  
Quatre Raberba Winner eyed the breakfast platter his staff had sent in for  
him, toying with the food as he took the occasional bite. It was odd - he  
always had a good appetite in the morning, but he found himself unable to  
eat very much today.  
  
All the excitement that's been happening, he guessed.  
  
*Rashid.*  
  
Putting down the fork, he took a sip of strong black coffee as he looked out  
of the hotel suite's large full-length windows.  
  
*Should I call him? How injured is he? Would he even be able to answer me?*  
  
Quatre sighed.  
  
A light tap on the door to his room interrupted his thoughts. A fraction of  
a second, and the door opened, revealing two young men in business attire -  
the  
first was the staff member who had woken him up earlier, the other he didn't  
recognise.  
  
The first man walked up to Quatre, with the other trailing him a short  
distance behind, "Sir, as you requested, I've found a temporary replacement  
for Rashid. He's from the local office... he's been with the PR department  
for a while now and his work record is nothing but exemplary."  
  
Quatre nodded, "Very well. You may go."  
  
The first employee nodded, leaving the room and shutting the door behind  
him.  
  
The other man said nothing, standing motionless and simply looking at Quatre  
as though awaiting an order.  
  
Quatre looked him over. He wasn't very old, but he couldn't place an age to  
him. Dressed in a neatly crisp white business shirt and trousers, his  
stunningly green eyes seemed to sparkle in the sunlight emanating from the  
window behind. His hair was a little longer than would be accepted in most  
business circles, but it was neatly kept and swept back in a conventional  
manner.  
  
Not too bad, Quatre thought, he'll do for a while. He paused, wondering.  
*Better to be safe than sorry, I guess.*  
  
Reaching out with his mind with as little force as he could apply, he tried  
to see into the other boy.  
  
And he drew a blank. Quatre frowned.  
  
Almost simultaneously, the other boy took a step backwards, as though  
pushed. He blinked, as though startled by something, then looked at Quatre.  
  
He spoke, "Sir... I would appreciate if you didn't do that. It is a matter  
of personal privacy."  
  
Quatre blinked, looking down at the guy's records. And found what he  
expected.  
  
The guy was a low-level newtype. Able to sense emotions and feelings in  
people, and capable of establishing low-level barriers against mind invasion  
and scanning, but not much more.  
  
*That must've been why he reeled backwards.* Quatre's reaching out, even at  
his lowest power and for a fraction of a second, had been enough to shatter  
through the other guy's defenses.  
  
Looking at the boy who was now looking back at him warily, Quatre smiled in  
what he hoped was an apologetic way, "I'm sorry... I shouldn't have done  
that. I just wanted to be sure..."  
  
He shook his head, "That was very rude of me... I'm afraid that I'm still...  
very new to this ability", he pointed to his head, "that I have..."  
  
Quatre paused again, "...I'm sorry."  
  
The other boy nodded, "It's okay, sir. I understand. I remember what it was  
like when I first discovered it myself."  
  
Quatre tensed, half expecting the boy to mention something about the  
strength with which Quatre had tried to probe him. But the boy just stood  
there, waiting.  
  
The blond youth smiled, "Thank you." Looking down, he closed the boy's  
personnel records, "I'm preparing to return to Singapore shortly, as you may  
have already been briefed. I'd like you to go ahead to the airport and make  
sure all the arrangements have been made."  
  
"Yes, sir."  
  
The boy started walking out of the room, but Quatre called out, "Um..."  
  
He realised he didn't know his name. Picking up the personnel folder, he  
flipped it open.  
  
The other boy spoke, "Tryten, sir. My name's Tryten."  
  
Quatre looked up, nodding, "Alright then, Tryten. I'll see you in a few  
hours."  
  
*****  
  
Quietly, Duo Maxwell made his way through one of the warren-like corridors  
of the organisation he called home.  
  
Home.  
  
Walking as silently as a cat, he smiled perfunctorily at the people who  
greeted him as they passed by - Duo was well-known within the organisation  
as a friendly, cheerful guy, and a lot of the staff liked him, even if they  
didn't know what he really was.  
  
Shoving his hands into his pockets, he sighed.  
  
"So, you've returned after all."  
  
Glancing up, he realised he'd nearly reached the end of the corridor. And  
one of the professors was standing there.  
  
The braided youth nodded, "Yes, sir. Mission... accomplished, sir."  
  
J nodded, "I know... Zechs filled us in when he returned." Walking over to  
the youth, the older man put a hand on the boy's shoulder, "You had us  
worried there for a while, Duo... when you didn't return with Zechs."  
  
Duo shook his head instinctively, reassuringly, "Sir... you know I wouldn't  
do anything to compromise our objectives."  
  
The professor smiled, "Good."  
  
Turning away, he started walking down an adjacent corridor, "The logs show  
you didn't have time to be repaired before we sent you out... we've managed  
to set up a manual maintenance centre for you... until we manage to fully  
repair Sister. Go find Relena or Zechs... they'll have you fixed up in no  
time."  
  
Watching the professor's diminishing figure, Duo nodded, "Thank you... sir."  
  
*****  
  
Charles Maxwell stared at the equipment arrayed before him, and nodded,  
satisfied. At least one could still find good help these days...  
  
Keeping a watchful eye on the status monitors, his fingers flew over the  
terminal keyboard, correcting an error in the biological accelerator  
functions.  
  
All was going well. Quite well, indeed.  
  
*****  
  
Heero Yuy shifted uncomfortably, watching the blond youth standing next to  
him out of the corner of his eye. Dressed in a formal black business suit,  
Quatre Raberba Winner looked nothing like the lanky kid wrapped in a blanket  
he had bumped into the night before.  
  
Having arrived at his hotel on time, Heero had spent a few minutes waiting  
outside Quatre's rooms before the blond youth had showed himself. Quatre had  
smiled and exchanged a few polite remarks, but hadn't said much beyond that.  
  
The trip to the airport hadn't been much more eventful. Seperated by the  
large floorspace inside Quatre's limousine, Heero had contented himself by  
looking out the window at the passing cityscape, since Quatre didn't seem to  
want to talk much.  
  
And now, they were finally approaching the vehicle that would take Heero  
halfway across the world, and hopefully closer to the truth of his past.  
  
A tinge of anxiety filled the boy at the thought of the task before him.  
Where would he search? How would he search?  
  
He jumped slightly as a sudden pressure gripped his left shoulder. Turning  
to look, he saw Quatre reaching out, squeezing his shoulder.  
  
The blond youth smiled, "Don't worry, Heero. You'll do fine. You'll find  
what you're looking for."  
  
Heero looked away.  
  
The shuttle stopped, the doors opening with a loud hiss. Quatre and his  
entourage alighted from the shuttle briskly, and Heero found himself alone  
for a moment before he caught up with them. Catching sight of Quatre, he saw  
the other boy walking towards a plane parked a short distance away.  
  
At the base of the steps leading up into the aircraft, the Japanese youth  
hesitated.  
  
*Do I really want to do this? Do I really... want to find out?*  
  
"Heero."  
  
Looking up, he saw Quatre at the entrance to the craft. The boy nodded at  
him once.  
  
*****  
  
"Tryten, bring Mr. Yuy to one of the private rooms and see if he requires  
anything else. I'll be in my office up front. See to it that I'm not  
disturbed... I think I'll need to get a little bit of shuteye before we land  
back home."  
  
"Yes, sir."  
  
Heero eyed the youth named Tryten. Apparently, he was some sort of personal  
aide to Quatre, though the Japanese youth vaguely recalled someone  
mentioning that Quatre's personal assistant was a large Arabic guy. He  
shrugged it off.  
  
It took a moment for Heero to realise that the Tryten guy had said something  
to him and was now looking at him. He blushed slightly, and apologised.  
  
Tryten shook his head, "It's quite alright, Mr. Yuy. I simply asked if you'd  
like to go to your rooms now."  
  
Heero nodded.  
  
"If you'll follow me..."  
  
*****  
  
Heero stared around him. Quatre's jet was unlike any other he'd ever seen  
before. Lacking the cramped rows of seating found on commercial jets, the  
Winner personal aircraft looked more like a small house - complete with  
bedrooms, studies, bathrooms and even a kitchen area.  
  
Opening one of the doors, Tryten motioned for him to enter.  
  
He gaped again. The room was bigger than his apartment back in Los Angeles.  
  
"If that will be all, Mr. Yuy?"  
  
Heero nodded.  
  
*****  
  
Staring pensively out the window at the clouds passing below them, Heero  
sighed. The aircraft had been in the air for about an hour already, and if  
the computer on the desk had been right, they would reach Singapore in  
another two hours or so. Normally, the flight took less than two-and-a-half  
hours, but the pilot had announced that they would be making a short detour  
to avoid some erratic weather conditions.  
  
Turning away from the window, the Japanese youth walked over to the small  
fridge, taking out a can of soda. Staring at the can with slight distaste,  
he remembered the numerous incidents he'd had with soda cans since his  
abilities were awakened. After countless busted attempts at opening the cans  
without crushing or otherwise destroying them first, the youth had finally  
gained some control over his new strength - at least enough to open cans and  
turn shower knobs without breaking them.  
  
Sighing again, he gingerly opened the can, ignoring the loud fizzing. Taking  
a sip, he made his way over to the large, soft couch, and sat down.  
  
That was when the plane rocked.  
  
*****  
  
"All systems clear, Captain."  
  
"All systems clear, check."  
  
"Engines stable. Autopilot running within normal parameters."  
  
The captain nodded, "Good thing you noticed the storm up ahead... we  
would've been in for a bumpy ride, and I heard that the boss wanted to take  
a nap-"  
  
The pilot was interrupted as the plane suddenly twisted and turned,  
nosediving over three hundred meters before righting itself for a moment.  
Without warning, it started ascending almost vertically again. Swearing  
almost in unison, the two pilots struggled with the controls, trying to  
regain control of the plane.  
  
Glancing at the monitors, the pilot felt a chill travel down his spine - all  
the controls were dead, the monitors flickering wildly and spitting out  
gibberish instead of the vital information required to control the aircraft.  
  
Slapping the intercom, the co-pilot tried to contact the rest of the staff  
and crew, but found himself talking to static.  
  
There was nothing to do but wait. And pray.  
  
*****  
  
Bracing himself against the violent rocking, Tryten did his best to make his  
way towards the front of the plane. The disturbances were emanating from  
somewhere in that area; he could feel it.  
  
It was getting stronger. It had to be him. The weather was clear, there were  
no electromagnetic disturbances in the area... nothing to throw the plane  
into such a fit.  
  
Nothing natural, at least.  
  
The youth paused, wondering...  
  
*Am I up to it? Can I... stop it?*  
  
He reached the door leading into Quatre Raberba Winner's personal quarters.  
  
*Is he... too powerful?*  
  
The plane rocked unexpectedly, throwing the boy against the other side of  
the aircraft's hull. Grimacing, the boy tried to ignore the pain.  
  
*I have to survive. I have to succeed. I can't fail... I never fail.*  
  
Throwing himself against the door, he who called himself Tryten flew into the room as the plane  
made a sudden swerve. Righting himself, his gaze took in the room.  
  
And gasped.  
  
Furniture lay strewn all over the room. Nothing was left untouched -  
monitors were ripped out of the walls, desks were overturned. Pillows lay  
ripped on the ground, feathers flying everywhere.  
  
The only thing undisturbed in the whole room was... Quatre... floating  
several inches off the bed he had doubtlessly been sleeping on. He was still  
covered with the blanket he had been using.  
  
Within such close proximity, Tryten could feel the strength emanating from  
the boy. It was overpowering... dark... frightening. Though he remained calm  
on the outside, somewhere deep inside, something that was Tryten...  
something that was more than Tryten... screamed, unable to comprehend the  
power that lay within the other boy.  
  
He could feel it. The raw power that lay within the other was completely  
overwhelming. Something was holding the power at bay now, but there was a  
battle going on within the boy, he could see that. He did not want to see  
what would happen should the boy lose control.  
  
Tryten paused... wondering how he could possibly succeed.  
  
Treading slowly, he made his way cautiously over to the blond youth floating  
in the air. He had to approach this carefully... heaven only knew what would  
happen to him if the boy reacted the wrong way.  
  
Now by his side, Tryten tentatively reached a hand out to the blond youth's  
sleeping form. Bracing himself, he placed first one hand on the boy, then th  
e other.  
  
He closed his eyes. Focusing. Concentrating.  
  
He could feel the other. Quatre had fallen asleep... and fallen prey to a  
nightmare. And he had reacted to it.  
  
It was just... instinct.  
  
He turned his attention to the nightmare that had affected Quatre so.  
  
Slowly, seconds later, Tryten opened his eyes. The disturbances were  
lessening. Slowly, but certainly.  
  
It were lessening. The plane was righting itself again.  
  
Tryten smiled.  
  
They would survive.  
  
Unaware of all around him, Quatre slept on.  
  
*****  
  
Realising that the turbulence had finally stopped, Heero heaved a sigh of  
relief. Letting go of his deathgrip on the wall of his cabin, Heero  
inspected the damage. Once the disturbance had gotten strong enough to throw  
him out of his seat and into the wall opposite, Heero had lashed out, trying  
to grab hold of anything to stablise himself. The wall had been as good as  
any other choice, and with his new abilities, he had effortlessly dug a  
hand-hold in the metal of the cabin wall, riding out the rocking and  
shaking.  
  
Perhaps this superhuman stuff did have its advantages, after all.  
  
Eyeing the carnage of furniture and assorted other stuff lying around the  
room that the turbulence had left in its wake, he guessed they wouldn't make  
too much of a fuss about the small marks he'd made in the wall.  
  
Shrugging it off, Heero Yuy made his way out of the cabin, resolved to first  
check on Quatre to see if he was okay... then to go question the pilots on  
what they'd been drinking.  
  
*****  
  
April 19th AC 195 12:15am EST (April 20th AC 195, somewhere after midnight,  
Singapore time)  
  
It was funny how time worked, or so thought Heero Yuy. Having left Los  
Angeles about three hours ago in broad daylight, they had arrived halfway  
across the world in the dead of night - Singapore was over fourteen hours  
ahead of Los Angeles.  
  
Heero eyed Quatre suspiciously, as they got off the plane and cleared  
immigration before getting into a waiting car. The blond youth hadn't  
mentioned anything about the turbulence and had emerged from his room  
looking immensely refreshed(and a lot more talkative)... could he have  
possibly slept through it all?  
  
Smiling now, Quatre was talking to Heero as the car took them down the  
brightly-lit main highway(they were called expressways here, Quatre noted)  
leading away from the airport to the central city area.  
  
"I don't think I'll be able to make travel arrangements for you immediately,  
especially not now, since most of the agencies would be closed at this time  
of night. I -would- suggest that you spend a few days here first... while  
Tryten makes the necessary... arrangements for your travel."  
  
Heero nodded, understanding - he couldn't very well return to Japan using  
his current travel documents - whoever had sent him to the heart of the  
Euro-American Alliance would be tipped off about his return... and no doubt  
would come looking for him.  
  
He had managed to enter Singapore on his own documents as the country wasn't  
part of the Federation. As part of the treaty that ended the war between the  
EA Alliance and the Asian Federation, the two governments had agreed that  
one part of both their territories would be set aside as 'neutral ground' -  
to act as buffer zones and central areas for commerce and trade between the  
two sides. On the Euro-American side, Switzerland had been chosen as the  
neutral ground - a tradition that dated back many centuries. On the Asian  
side, Singapore had been chosen - simply because the country was  
geographically strategic - also a tradition.  
  
Besides, the professors had mentioned, when telling him what little could be  
gleaned of his real history, that he had spent some time in a military  
facility in Indonesia... Indonesia was close to Singapore; perhaps he could  
find out a little about his activities there.  
  
Eyeing the brightly-lit cityscape now coming into view, the Japanese youth  
saw... for the first time in a long while... a glimmer of hope.  
  
*****  
  
Charles Maxwell held his breath, "Easy now... the mix must be -exact-, exact  
I tell you! Slightly off... and I don't want to know what we'll end up  
with!"  
  
The assistant nodded, wiping the sweat off his brow as he tapped at the  
controls.  
  
Professor Maxwell nodded, "Do it."  
  
The assistant hit the 'execute' command. Machinery hissed. Computers around  
the room beeped, and processed.  
  
Charles Maxwell smiled.  
  
"Success."  
  
The assistants were already turning to each other, making their way out of  
the laboratory and clapping each other on the back as they congratulated  
each other on a job well done. Maxwell watched them go. As good as they  
were, he knew he had to let them go - the process had begun and could be  
automated all the way until its completion. They weren't needed any more.  
  
Charles Maxwell grimaced - he hated having to do this... but it was  
necessary. These projects were too secretive and too much was at stake;  
James and the others demanded it of him and he was obliged to comply.  
  
While he waited, he turned to the nearest computer, "Activate dictation  
subroutine. Send message to Veritas, Professor J, code 6098-102. Message  
reads - system up and running; expected completion within one month. Message  
ends. Send."  
  
The computer beeped. Looking at his watch, he decided the assistants had  
gone far enough. Reaching out to a nearby console, he pressed the button.  
  
The screams were still audible. He grimaced again.  
  
He hated listening to people die.  
  
*****  
  
TO BE CONTINUED...  
  
Sandrock  
  
  
  
  
  



	5. Default Chapter Title

Sometime back in 1999 when I wrote Chapter 4 of Kindred Spirits, something  
happened between Heero and Misako. (For those not in the know, Misako is a  
rather annoying character from KS(duh) who has an obsessive crush on Heero)  
  
In that chapter, Duo & Hilde had just left to catch a Chang Wufei movie, and  
Misako 'accidentally' split something on her dress to get Heero to leave the  
table to get her a napkin. While he was away, she spiked his drink with an  
alcohol concentrate.  
  
If memory serves, this occurs just as Heero's powers were unleashed by the  
scientists and he's still in the process of coming to terms with his  
newfound abilities. Sadly, this Heero is not the 'real-world' Heero, who'd  
probably be immune to alcohol or something like that, and he gets all tipsy.  
^_^  
  
Misako makes a suggestion that they 'go upstairs' and Heero, in his  
uninhibited state, agrees.  
  
From there, the scene cuts to the next morning. Heero wakes up on a sofa in  
a hospital waiting area. He finds himself called over by a nurse to sign two  
forms: one to admit Misako into the hospital and to pay for her treatment,  
and the other, a bill from the seedy restaurant they were in for the meal  
the night before... and for a 'bed and assorted other damages'.  
  
I left it there, up to the reader's imagination, promising that I would  
later reveal what happened between them.  
  
I conducted a poll a little later, asking readers what they'd prefer to  
see - a naughty version, or an innocent version of the Heero/Misako affair.  
The innocent version won by two votes, and some were even rather vehement  
about Heero NOT having done anything with Misako.  
  
I promised to write a sequence in chapter 7 about what happened, but  
apparently I forgot.  
  
But now, thanks to Cyberwolf's insistence, I've done this really short,  
off-the-cuff interlude. Enjoy! ^_^  
  
INTERLUDE - a short excerpt from the KINDRED SPIRITS saga  
Written by Sandrock(sandrock@gundamwing.mailbox.as)  
  
LEGAL DISCLAIMER  
GW belongs to someone else. That's why this is a short excerpt and not a  
lousy one-episode OVA.  
  
Misako tried to stop herself from giggling. It was like a dream come true.  
She leaned over, trailing kisses down his neck as he carried her in his  
firm strong arms, walking up the stairs and away from the din of the  
restaurant's rowdy customers. He swayed slightly, the slight giggles  
emanating from his throat oddly pleasing.  
  
Misako sighed again, leaning her head against his shoulder. Heero looked  
physically fit, she thought, but from the way he had effortlessly lifted her  
off the ground, he must be really strong. She found herself eager to see him  
in a... state of undress.  
  
Thinking forbidden thoughts of how he must look, she continued to grope him  
as he reached the top of the stairs. He continued to sway as he walked, like  
a tree branch blowing in the wind. Somehow, he kept his footing.  
  
Moving down the corridor, Misako directed Heero to the empty room she had  
arranged for. Smiling at her as he stared at her with a soppy grin, he  
didn't notice the closed door and slammed right smack into it. Looking  
confused, he stared at the door for a good five seconds, as though uncertain  
of what to do.  
  
Grinning in an attempt to mask the pain from having been slammed against the  
door, Misako cooed, "You have to open it, Heero-kun."  
  
The Japanese youth seemed to shrug. He raised a foot.  
  
And kicked the door right off its hinges.  
  
Misako gasped. *Definitely stronger than he looks*  
  
They entered the room, Misako still firmly in his grasp.  
  
He only managed five steps.  
  
The previous occupants must've left the room in some slight disarray. A  
coffee table was not where it was meant to be.  
  
Heero tripped. Misako went flying, landing on the bed with enough force to  
collapse the flimsy structure, bumping her head on the bedside drawer as she  
landed unceremoniously. She was out cold before Heero hit the ground,  
shattering the coffee table.  
  
The grin was still on his face as he lay unconscious.  
  
THE END ^_^  
  
SR  
  
  
  



	6. Consequences - Chapter 10 of Kindred Spi...

From: "Aaron Lye" elsydeon@pacific.net.sg  
Subject: [fic] Consequences - Chapter 10 of Kindred Spirits  
Date: Saturday, June 09, 2001 10:01 AM  
  
CONSEQUENCES - Chapter 10 of the KINDRED SPIRITS saga  
Written by Sandrock  
sandrock@gundamwing.mailbox.as  
sandrock@sandrockproductions.com  
  
LEGAL DISCLAIMER  
GW belongs to somebody else. That's why KINDRED SPIRITS is a fanfic and not  
an OVA series.  
  
BLATANT ADVERTISING  
Check out my first Gundam Wing music video - "Soaring For You" - at  
www.sandrockproductions.com !  
  
Content Guideline - graphic violence  
  
April 25th After Century(AC) Year 195, a location off the North American  
eastern coast  
  
*Blake, I swear, sometimes I think you've got to be the dumbest guy on  
earth! Let me do it; you'll just make it worse...*  
  
*You big silly! Of course I love you.*  
  
*What? Of course I didn't forget... I'll be there tonight. I promise.*  
  
Not a moment of silence. The thoughts invade... every corner, every nook...  
  
Who am I?  
  
*****  
  
April 25th AC 195, Singapore  
  
Heero Yuy leaned against the smooth edge of the large open window, resting  
on the warm concrete that baked in the hot equatorial sun. Staring out from  
his room, he once again took refuge in the sprawling beauty of the rest of  
Quatre's surburban mansion that stood in the western part of the island of  
Singapore. He'd been doing that a lot lately, he noted mentally - standing  
at the window and staring out.  
  
Quatre had assured him that it was safe for him to go out and explore the  
island-city - Singapore guarded its neutrality fiercely and mostly  
everything was above-board - there was nearly no chance of operatives from  
either the Euro-American Alliance or the Asian Federation sneaking in past  
the stringent safeguards in place.  
  
Quatre had been right about other things- there was no lack of things to do  
here - the island had a reputation for being a shopping, entertainment and  
food haven for centuries now, and the number of tourist attractions had all  
but increased in the years of prosperity in the last two centuries,  
following the tragic century-long war that the current calendar system had  
been named for.  
  
But Heero Yuy had things on his mind other than shopping, entertainment and  
food. After nearly a week of waiting around for forged travel documents to  
be processed to facilitate his return to the Asian Federation, there was  
still no news from Quatre's contacts as to when the stuff would be ready.  
Similarly, Heero's investigations into his past - including the time the  
professors had said he'd spent in Indonesia - had turned up fruitless.  
Granted, he wasn't in exactly the best position to be conducting  
investigations yet, but...  
  
He sighed, turning away from the window. Crossing the room Quatre had  
provided for him, he opened the door tentatively. Maybe he would go for a  
swim, he thought. That always helped get his mind off things, at least these  
days. Back before everything he knew had changed, he'd found that going to  
the gym was one of the best ways to blow off steam, or just to clear his  
mind. There was something about just getting lost in repetitive, mindless,  
painful motion that did wonders for stress. But gyms were no longer of any  
use, and simply served as a stark reminder of what he was now... what he had  
become after that fateful meeting with Duo Maxwell.  
  
Silently making his way down the hallway, Heero turned the corner leading to  
the staircase... and bumped into Tryten, Quatre's temporary personal aide,  
knocking him to the ground.  
  
The Japanese youth frowned, before reaching out to help the other boy up to  
his feet. He offered a quick apology.  
  
Tryten smiled, brushing himself off, "It's okay, Mr. Yuy. It was my fault  
too." He tapped a finger against his head, still with a small smile creasing  
his face, "I should've known you were coming round the corner... I was just  
a little preoccupied and not paying attention."  
  
Heero nodded, remembering what Quatre had told him about the other youth  
being a low-level newtype able to sense emotions and the presence of others.  
  
Tryten shook his head, "Anyway, that's beside the point. Mr. Winner actually  
sent me here to pick you up. There've been some developments and he wants to  
see you right away."  
  
For a moment, Heero allowed himself a small glimmer of hope. Had Quatre  
finally pulled through and gotten everything in order?  
  
Well, he thought as he followed Tryten to the waiting car, I'll know soon  
enough.  
  
*****  
  
The drive from the suburban west to the business-oriented central part of  
the island took less than fifteen minutes, noted Heero as he glanced out of  
the car windows at the city beyond. Singapore was something of an enigma  
among cities - for one thing it seemed immaculately clean and didn't possess  
the overhanging feeling of organised chaos most cities had. In a way, it  
didn't seem completely natural. Nature wasn't supposed to be organised.  
  
This city seemed strangely different - like a wolf in sheep's clothing.  
An artificial city masquerading with the thin veneer of the natural.  
  
Very much like Duo Maxwell.  
  
*And Solo...*  
  
The car ground to a halt at the main entrance of one of the taller  
skyscrapers - the international headquarters of the Maganac Corporation and  
where Quatre was, no doubt. Without missing a beat, a doorman had the car  
door open and waiting, and Heero stepped out into the choking midday heat.  
Within seconds, perspiration began forming on his brow.  
  
The air felt thick here, thick and heavy, very unlike the hot dry heat he'd  
experienced back in LA. In the calm after the storm back on the plane trip  
here, he'd called up some information on their destination... only to find  
out (to his horror) that the weather in this part of the world was a  
consistent thirty degrees Celsius, hot by most standards, and had humidity  
levels of over 95% most of the time. He hadn't believed it at first.  
  
Now he did.  
  
Crossing the short distance between the car and the entrance, he allowed  
himself to close his eyes for a brief moment as the cool air-conditioned  
breeze wafted across his skin. He smiled, and opened his eyes.  
  
To see Tryten with a small smirk on his face. The other youth shook his  
head, "You get used to it after a while."  
  
Heero shrugged, "I hope so."  
  
Leading the way to the elevator, Tryten turned slightly towards the other  
boy, "Trust me. I've been to this region a few times, and it gets better. Be  
thankful this country was your first introduction to the area... some of the  
places around it haven't recovered as quickly from that war."  
  
Reaching the elevator lobby, Tryten pressed the button calling for the lift,  
"So... I guess the weather never gets this bad in Japan, huh?"  
  
Heero paused. Good question. Once... he thought he knew, but...  
  
"I don't know."  
  
Tryten raised an eyebrow at the unexpected answer.  
  
A sharp beep interrupted the conversation, and the doors to the lift opened.  
Both entered.  
  
*****  
  
"Margaret, could you please inform me when Ms Winner arrives in the office?  
And get on the line with those people from Audit and Accounting and  
tell them to hurry up with those papers I need. Oh, and the legal  
department, as well. They-"  
  
Quatre found himself interrupted by the voice on the other side of the  
intercom, "-will be in to see you later this evening, sir. As you  
requested."  
  
The blond youth nodded, "Okay. Thanks, Marge."  
  
"A pleasure, Mr. Winner."  
  
Switching off the communication panel, Quatre sighed. Things were  
progressing fine. Iria had done a good job managing the company in his  
absence and everything was running smoothly. The issues he had come to  
settle were almost complete and things were mostly looking up.  
  
There were only a few things left to resolve.  
  
Unfortunately, they were the hardest to do.  
  
A light tap on his door broke his train of thought and Quatre turned  
instinctively to face the door as Heero and Tryten entered the room, despite  
the fact that he already knew who they were before they entered.  
  
It was an unfortunate side-effect. Considering how he'd gained 'control' of  
his newtype powers and the fact that he hadn't received the proper mental  
training that all newtypes received, it wasn't entirely unexpected that he'd  
unintentionally read all these things from other people's minds, without  
wanting to.  
  
He shook his head. Considering the power of his newtype abilities(or at  
least what he'd been told by the professors), it was good enough that he  
didn't accidentally burn out the mind of the people he unintentionally was  
looking into.  
  
He sighed. Focusing, he smiled at the two young men now walking into his  
office, "Heero, it's finally done. Your documents are ready."  
  
The Japanese youth didn't seem to show much emotion at the news. No relief,  
no joy, nothing. All he said was a simple, flat "When can I go?"  
  
Quatre paused for a second, "Anytime you want, Heero. All you have to do is  
collect the documents and I can have you flown to Tokyo whenever you're  
ready."  
  
Heero nodded, "Then I'm leaving now."  
  
The blond teen blinked, "Now? Heero, I can understand your urgency, but it's  
almost evening and you'll probably not get much done by the time you arrive,  
so why don't-"  
  
He was interrupted, "Quatre... I would like to leave... now."  
  
The determination Quatre saw in the other boy's face stopped him in his  
tracks. To a certain extent, he could understand Heero's predicament.  
Discovering that he was a secret weapon, that everything he thought about  
his past, his family and his world was fake... it was enough to drive anyone  
insane.  
  
He could understand.  
  
Quatre Raberba Winner nodded. "Okay. Now."  
  
Turning to his assistant, he spoke again, "Tryten, bring Heero to collect  
the necessary documents and make sure he's sufficiently equipped for  
travel - expenses, accomodation, everything. See him off to the airport,  
please."  
  
His gaze fell back on Heero, "I would see you off myself, but... there are  
some  
things I can't put off any longer... that I must do this evening. I'm  
sorry."  
  
Looking the Japanese youth straight in the eye, Quatre smiled again, "Good  
luck, Heero. Contact me when you're ready to return. And remember to check  
in with the professors everyday. The last thing I need is for them to come  
bug me about whether you're okay."  
  
Heero Yuy nodded.  
  
*****  
  
An hour and a half later, Tryten watched from the safety of the airport's  
departure hall as Quatre's private jet took off, heading for Japan. On board  
was one Japanese youth, off on a quest to know his past.  
  
He watched as the jet grew smaller and smaller, finally disappearing into  
the clouds.  
  
Making a quick calculation, he noted that Heero would probably arrive in  
about half an hour. Not much time, but sufficient, perhaps.  
  
Walking quickly, his eyes scoured the airport terminal, locating a public  
communications booth in a quiet corner. Reaching the booth, he pretended to  
busy himself with finding a payment card to use the phone with. A quick  
glance around satisfied him that no one was paying attention to him, and he  
quickly took out the device he'd kept concealed in his coat pocket.  
Unhooking the communications panel's data  
communication port, he plugged in the device, before quickly keying in a  
brief message. A few more button pushes, and the signal was off, with it  
carrying a message.  
  
A simple message.  
  
"Commence."  
  
*****  
  
Another light tap on his door. Quatre tensed. She was here.  
  
"Come in."  
  
The large oak-panelled doors opened with a slight creak, admitting a young  
brunette woman who looked, at most, several years older than Quatre. She  
barely glanced at him as she walked in front of his desk, her face a stolid  
mask.  
  
He put on his best smile, "Iria..."  
  
Her gaze was frosty, "Yes, sir?"  
  
There it was - the "sir" again. Obviously, she was still sore about the way  
things had turned out the day before he left to meet the professors.  
  
He didn't blame her, though - it was his fault, after all.  
  
Getting up from his chair, Quatre crossed the distance between them, "Look,  
Iria... I'm sorry. I don't like the way things ended the last time either.  
It's just that there were a lot of... difficulties which I couldn't  
explain."  
  
Iria Winner glanced at her younger brother, her face still expressionless,  
"Difficulties? Must've been some reallly big problems."  
  
She started walking, heading towards the large full-length windows that  
offered a stunning view of the cityscape, "Big enough problems to threaten  
me. Big enough to waltz across half the world and not tell me what's going  
on. Big enough for the Los Angeles office to report back here with strange  
stories of 'incidents'. Big enough for Rashid not to return with you."  
  
She paused, staring out the window.  
  
"Big enough for you to have been back for a week... and only see me now."  
  
She turned to face the blond youth, "What happened to you, little brother?  
You used to be so... nice."  
  
An uncomfortable silence. Quatre shifted in his feet.  
  
She shook her head, "No matter. What did you want? You obviously called me  
here for something and I don't think it was for nostalgia or smalltalk."  
  
Nothing.  
  
The elder Winner eyed her brother, "Well? I don't have all night. Get on  
with it."  
  
When he finally spoke, Quatre's voice was softer than usual, "I... I asked  
you to come here today so I could apologise for the way I behaved. I know  
you're still mad... but I wanted you to know I was sorry. I... I shouldn't  
have said those things to you."  
  
Walking over to his sister at the window, he continued, "Iria... things have  
changed. Something's happened over there... and I promised that I would see  
it through. Don't ask me what it is... I can't tell you even if I wanted  
to... but I must help resolve it."  
  
Heading back to his desk, he reached into a drawer and took out a small  
folder, "I'll be taking an extended leave of absence. I've handed over  
control of the company to you... you've done a really good job while I was  
away and I don't think I could ask for better. The only clause is that I  
will still need access to the black fund for finances... apart from that..."  
  
"The Maganac Corporation is yours."  
  
Quatre glanced at his sister, looking for some reaction. There was none.  
  
He continued, "I'll be here for a while more... until some other issues are  
resolved. Then I'll be gone for a while. Maybe... maybe we could spend a bit  
of time together... if you feel like it."  
  
Silence.  
  
The young blond sighed. Slowly, he turned towards the door, slowly walking  
towards it.  
  
"I'm sorry, Iria."  
  
The door shut behind him. She was alone.  
  
She looked down at the city below.  
  
*Quatre...*  
  
*****  
  
The room was quiet.  
  
"Well, we've certainly put this off long enough. Now that everything's  
settled... Duo, do you understand your objectives?"  
  
The braided youth looked at the five elderly men seated in a row in front of  
him. To his side, Zechs was silent, a shadow lurking in a corner.  
  
"Yes, professors. I'll do my best, as always."  
  
J nodded, "Good."  
  
The professor paused, "You have to find him, Duo. You know why - it's not  
enough that we have Heero. Wufei has to be found and neutralised as well. We  
can't afford for him to build up enough resources to complete his mission,  
and we can't afford any more delays. The situation with Quatre and... Unit  
01... were unfortunate... but we have to put these things in the past.  
Concentrate on the present, Duo. We have to succeed."  
  
Duo Maxwell remained expressionless.  
  
"Yes sir."  
  
Watching as the cybernetic teen exited the room briefly, followed by Zechs,  
the professors turned to one another.  
  
J asked, "How is Ms Schbecker?"  
  
"Recovering. She caught a mild viral infection, but she's doing well.", came  
the reply from O.  
  
Professor J nodded, "And Heero? How is the young lad?"  
  
Checking a nearby terminal, H answered, "He seems to be okay, though he says  
less and less each time he checks in with us these days. At his last report,  
he was on a flight headed for Japan with documents provided by Quatre. All  
seems to be in order."  
  
Getting up, J stretched a little, his joints uncomfortable with age, "Good.  
Let's wish him a speedy journey, then. The faster we have all of them back  
here... the better."  
  
*****  
  
Charles Maxwell peered into augmentation chamber, the thick fog roiling  
inside obscuring much of the thing inside he was looking at. Everything was  
going smoothly, he thought.  
  
In fact, progress was faster this time round. Apparently, his experience  
with the first two subjects made for better efficiency. Most of the  
groundwork had already been done - it was just a matter of applying what was  
necessary.  
  
He turned to face a nearby control console, tweaking some of the settings to  
be more precise. Of course, with what had happened with Unit 01 and from  
what the professors had told, he had had to make a few... modifications to  
the original matrix, but apart from that, all was pretty simple.  
  
The console emitted a long beep, signalling that the process was entering  
it's final stage.  
  
Charles Maxwell smiled. Heading for the communications console, he found  
himself glanced at the object in the chamber.  
  
A small glint in his eye, he allowed himself a small laugh.  
  
"I think it's time for you to meet someone."  
  
*****  
  
  
  
Sandrock  
http://www.sandrockproductions.com  
- for anime music vids, fanfiction  
and lame attempts at humour  
  
  
  
  



	7. The Search - Chapter 11 of Kindred Spiri...

THE SEARCH - Chapter 11 of the Kindred Spirits saga  
Written by Sandrock  
sandrock@sandrockproductions.com  
sandrock@gundamwing.mailbox.as  
  
LEGAL DISCLAIMER  
  
Gundam Wing belongs to someone else. That's why KINDRED SPIRITS is a fanfic and not an OVA series.  
  
BLATANT ADVERTISING  
  
Check out SR's new GW music vids - "Soaring for You" and "Rescue" on www.sandrockproductions.com  
  
Content Guideline: R, for graphic violence, mild profanity, mild sexual references.  
  
***********************************************************************  
  
April 25, AC 195. Tokyo, Japan. Narita Commercial Airport  
  
Heero Yuy stood at the large full-length windows of the arrival hall of Tokyo Narita, watching as the private jet that brought him here soared off into the sky, heading back to Singapore, back to the headquarters of the Maganac Corporation. Back to Quatre.  
  
Turning slowly, he made his way over to the immigration sector, his senses taking in the sights and sounds of the bustling, crowded airport. Once, centuries ago, Tokyo Narita had been Japan's main international airport, but it had long since been converted to a corporate port, run by one of the many large private-sector conglomerates borne out of the land of the rising sun - a private airport for the many corporate and private jets that wanted to beat the rush at the new international airports built off the eastern coast of Japan on various artificial islands.  
  
As he neared immigration, the Japanese youth reached into the haversack that held the few possessions he had taken along with him on the trip, and slowly took out the forged Euro-American Alliance passport that Quatre had procured for him. Studying it for a moment, he found himself saying a silent prayer.   
  
When the blond youth had first handed it to him, Heero had momentarily questioned the decision of using an EA passport to enter Asian Federation territory, but his concerns had been quickly dismissed - to have used an Asian Federation passport would've been far more foolhardy. Certainly, the AF authorities in Japan would be far better equipped to spot a fake AF passport, as compared to documents purportedly belonging to the EA Alliance - after all, the two governments weren't exactly best of friends...even though there was peace.  
  
Putting his thoughts aside, he made his way to the nearest available booth, and forced himself to smile naturally at the immigration officer, handing over the dark blue passport. The officer smiled back lightly, before taking the book and flipping it open to process Heero's entry.  
  
The Japanese youth stood quietly, waiting. Watching.  
  
*What if... what if it all falls through?*  
  
The immigration officer looked at him now, glancing back down at the picture on the document for a moment before feeding the passport into a scanner. The machine whirred, and emitted a few beeps. The officer spoke.  
  
"It'll take a little while to process, sir. Please hold on."  
  
Heero nodded, trying not to appear too unnerved. The machine continued beeping and whirring, emitted one final loud beep, and the officer smiled.  
  
"You're cleared for entry, Mr. Saito. Welcome to Japan. Will you be staying long?"  
  
Heero allowed himself a quick breath, before shaking his head, "Probably not. I wanted to come back and see the place for myself - how things have changed. It's hard being Japanese outside of Japan these days."  
  
The immigration officer laughed, "Well, over there on the Alliance side at least. We're doing pretty well here in the Federation. You should come back, you know. Sure, the grass looked greener over there... but is it, really?"  
  
Heero paused. Picking up his passport, he shoved it back inside his haversack, before smiling back at the officer, "Perhaps not... but I'm here now. Who knows?" He trailed off.  
  
The officer smiled, "Have a good trip, Mr. Saito."  
  
Heero Yuy nodded, making his way through immigration and out to the public area.  
  
The crowd in the arrival hall was no match for the scene that greeted the Japanese youth here - lines of waiting people scanned the exit from immigration, searching for colleagues, friends and loved ones. In as much abundance were people in driver uniforms - holding up placards with names of people they were required to fetch. In the face of organised chaos, Heero stared, looking for a directory or signboard that would point him in the direction of a taxi pick-up point.  
  
He had barely spotted a nearby information counter when he felt a light tap on his shoulder. He turned around. And looked up. Towering over him were two, rather large, fair-skinned men. One wore a dark black suit and had piercing blue eyes. The other wore a driver's uniform and had a peaked cap on that covered a mass of blond hair.  
  
The man in the suit spoke, "Mr. Yuy? We're from the Maganac Corporation. Mr. Winner sent a message ahead asking for us to pick you up and arrange for your accomodation during your stay here."  
  
Heero Yuy stared at the two men. Had Quatre mentioned anything about this? Not that he could recall, but it did seem like the sort of thing Quatre would've done. He had left in kind of a hurry and Quatre had been awfully concerned. Heero sighed - sometimes Quatre tried too hard to be a mother-hen.  
  
He nodded towards the two men, "Lead on, then."  
  
The suited man nodded, "Very well. This way, please, Mr. Yuy. The car is waiting."  
  
*****  
  
The crowded streets of Tokyo - every nook, corner and alleyway bustling with people and activity - sped past the limousine with fierce intensity, the black tint of the windows casting an almost ominous shadow on the entire cityscape.  
  
At least, it was so from Heero's viewpoint, as he scanned the horizon for any signs of familiarity. He shook his head - it was no use. It was... as though he was here for the first time. This city... was his home. He had been born here. Lived here most his life.   
  
At least he had thought so.   
  
He was a stranger in his own home.   
  
Leaning back, he looked around the passenger compartment of the limousine, and couldn't help but smile - Quatre certainly knew how to take care of his people. The dark suited man sat in front with the driver in the navigational compartment, leaving him alone with all the facilities one could hope for - a computer terminal, a television, a mini-bar... the list went on.  
  
He smiled, closing his eyes and trying to relax. All was going better than he'd expected.  
  
*****  
  
The Japanese youth was woken up abruptly twenty minutes later, when the vehicle made a sudden sharp turn. Rubbing the sleep out of his eyes, he squinted out the front windscreen, trying to make out where they were.  
  
The crowded streets of Tokyo had given way to a broad plaza - the sounds of the city were still audible, so they were probably just on the outskirts, but the view in front of him was in complete juxtaposition from that of the packed city. In the near distance, a huge mansion lay sprawled across a grassland that was neatly intersected by the wide road they were traveling down, and Heero couldn't help but be impressed, finding himself secretly wondering just exactly how rich Quatre was.  
  
As they neared the huge mansion, he leaned closer, trying to get a better view of the place. What he saw stopped him in his tracks.  
  
At the grand entrance to the mansion, a flag flew proudly in the wind. A familiar, dark-blue flag.  
  
A flag imprinted with the official seal of the Embassy of the Euro-American Alliance.  
  
Heero Yuy fell back into his seat. Quatre hadn't sent those men.  
  
The Alliance had him.  
  
He forced himself to regulate his breathing - the last thing he needed now was to hyperventilate. His mind worked furiously.  
  
*I have to escape... have to get out of here.*  
  
*I can't let them have me...*  
  
As though right on schedule, the doors of the limousine resounded with a loud simultaneous 'click' as locking mechanisms fell into place, and large metal shutters slid firmly over the tinted glass windows, throwing the entire cabin into utter darkness.  
  
The darkness galvanized Heero into action. Lunging towards the door, he tried the handle. It was locked. Drawing his arm back, his right hand clenched into a fist mere moments before he slammed it right into the door, sending the reinforced metal construct flying off its hinges.  
  
Deftly, he rolled out of the vehicle, landing on the roadside with a dull thud and picked himself up quickly, a little surprised he'd managed to pull that off so smoothly.  
  
The reaction from the limousine was no slower - the screeching sound of brakes applied at high speed filled the air as the vehicle skidded around to a halt, facing Heero.   
  
Mere metres away.  
  
Heero swallowed. Not all as well as he'd hoped.   
  
The passenger side door of the driver's cabin opened, and piercing blue eyes stared at the Japanese youth as the man prepared to come out. Heero glanced around - to his left and right, wide-open grassland that offered no shelter from a speeding car. To the front, the embassy of the ones bent on capturing him. There was only one place to go - back towards the city.  
  
Heero Yuy launched himself with surprising speed, taking the blue-eyed man by surprise. It was a surprise that didn't last long - mere moments later, Heero's ears told him that someone was on the hunt.  
  
The Japanese youth knew that he was fast, at least now - the abilities that had been awakened inside him had given him strength, speed and stamina far beyond human capabilities, but he bore no illusions of being able to outrun a car at full speed.   
  
All of a sudden, the city seemed too far away. Yet, the boy persevered.  
  
*I won't let them have me! Not again!*  
  
~~Heero had no time to react before Duo grabbed his shoulder and shoved him away. The Japanese youth hit the ground with a dull thud, wincing from the impact. He looked up, allowing a slight tinge of irritation to creep into his voice, a mere shadow of what he was feeling within, "What was that all...? He cut short abruptly as he saw what Duo was holding. The braided youth's hand was right at the spot where Heero's heart would've been if he had been standing. A hand that was clutching at the long shaft of a crossbow bolt. ~~  
  
~~Heero's mind froze, putting two and two together. A crossbow. Someone had fired a crossbow bolt at him. The weapon of choice of professional assassins. Silent, yet as accurate and deadly as any firearm, the crossbow had been revived from it's medieval inception and enhanced with modern technology into a weapon feared by rich businessmen and politicians alike. But, certainly not one a Japanese university student struggling to earn a living should have to worry about.~~  
  
*Not again. Never. Not without a fight...*  
  
The outskirts of Tokyo city were just in front of him now, and the signs of inhabitation were becoming obvious. Several pedestrians made their way hurriedly along the sidewalk of the large road, staring at the open grassland that was so rare a sight in the crowded streets of the metropolis. In front, a few vehicles sped past along an intersecting road.  
But the roar of the engine in his ears meant that his pursuers were just behind him.  
  
*I have to reach... I can't...*  
  
It was then that the bullet sped past his head, narrowly missing him. The echoing crack filled the relative silence.  
  
The pedestrians screamed, some diving for cover while others fled hap hazardously - the typical pandemonium one expects when a weapon gets fired.   
  
Heero Yuy grounded to a halt, not so much in fear as in concern for innocents that might get hit by a stray bullet should he continue running.  
  
*I can't let them...*  
  
The limousine pulled up next to him, stopping slowly and almost casually. The door opened and piercing blue eyes met his again.  
  
*No... I won't let them do this... not to me.*  
  
The faint echo of an idea hit him, and instinctively, he reacted. Slamming the door back, he shoved the blue-eyed man back into the vehicle. Bending down, he gripped the base of the limousine with both hands, locking his arms in a death grip with the metal of the car.  
  
He paused, a tinge of uncertainty creeping into his psyche. Could he do it? The professors hadn't been able to determine his strength, but...   
  
Heero shrugged. *There's nothing to lose.*  
  
*Please let this work.*  
  
His muscles flexed, and the metallic frame of the limousine made a startled squeak as the vehicle was lifted clean off the ground and onto its side in one swift motion.  
  
Heero stared, looking at the vehicle now balanced precariously on its side, then down at his hands. It had seemed so... easy.  
  
*What... what have they done to me?*  
  
He shook his head, clearing his thoughts. Whatever had been done to him... it had served him well for once. *But wasn't it what got you into all this trouble to begin with, you idiot?*  
  
Clearing his mind, he set about to finish what he'd started - a light push sent the vehicle careening down onto its hood, the impact warping the weaker hood frame and jamming the doors, effectively trapping his two would-be captors.   
  
Walking in front of the vehicle, a small smile crossed his face. Placing one hand on the front bonnet of the limo, he lifted the front of the vehicle up to eye-level, enough for him to look the occupants straight in the eye.  
  
The Japanese youth held it there just long enough to let them see him smile mischievously, before letting go and sending them crashing back down again.  
  
He walked off.  
  
*****  
  
They were beginning to annoy him. Just a little, at least.  
  
Dropping the now unconscious thug that had tried to charge at him and stab him with a previously concealed dagger, Duo Maxwell twisted around with inhuman speed, his right fist connecting with the fool who thought he could sneak up behind him, sending both the man and his crowbar flying into the far wall. The sound of concrete cracking never sounded better.  
  
The braided youth grumbled silently to himself as he surveyed his handiwork - he hated coming to these seedy thug bars - a combination of aggressive personalities, lots of alcohol and lax morals usually meant for a barroom brawl or two - especially when one had to ask potentially sensitive questions.   
  
Duo cracked his knuckles, allowing himself a small smile - he didn't really care today though. After everything that had happened, it felt good to let off some steam - but he had to be careful. When the first guy had attacked him without warning, something emotional in the braided youth had just snapped - like the proverbial camel and the straw - and it had taken every ounce of self-control he possessed not to turn the man into bloody pulp.  
  
He sighed, sparing a glance at the twelve or so thugs lying on the floor, groaning. *Maybe I got a little out of hand...*  
  
The braided youth now turned his gaze over to the rest of the patrons of this seedy place - a silent challenge to any and everyone else who thought they could take him on. None dared to make eye contact, and the youth smirked. These people always had to learn the hard way.  
  
Walking over to where his final assailant had landed, he grabbed hold of the man's shirt roughly, and dragged him unceremoniously over to the counter, before picking him up and seating him on the countertop a little harder than necessary. Shifting his grip to the man's neck, he slammed the man hard on his back against the countertop, applying a little more pressure to his grip.  
  
The youth's voice took on a menacing quality; every sign of the usually cheerful Duo vanished.  
  
"You know something I don't, big guy. Talk."  
  
The thug stared at him through bruised eyes; he was still grinning madly. He spat at the boy's face, and waited, still showing teeth at Duo.  
  
A low chuckle escaped from the braided youth's throat, a chuckle that quickly died out. Without warning, Duo dragged the man off the counter, lifting him by the neck just high enough off the ground to make his feet dangle a little. Like a rag doll, he carried the thug over to where he had previously landed.  
  
The braided youth picked up the fallen crowbar, once again roughly slamming the man into the ground. Pinning the thug down with his body, Duo Maxwell took the crowbar in his hands and swiftly twisted the metallic implement around the man's neck before he could even yell in surprise.  
  
Throat now constricted, a startled gasp emerged from the man.  
  
A rage unlike any before flared across the braided youth's face, and he spoke once again, his voice clipped and strangely subdued.  
  
"Talk now."  
  
The man stared back, his voice wheezing, "Up yours, bitch."  
  
Duo Maxwell's hands lashed forward, grabbing hold of the crowbar. The metal twisted like paper in his hands as he tightened the improvised noose around the man's neck even further. The man choked.   
  
Something close to a snarl emerged from the youth's throat, "Tell me what I need to know now, or I swear to god I'll twist your fucking head off!"  
  
Without giving the man time to react, the youth's hands swept into motion, tightening, constricting. The crowbar squealed from the pressure. The man began turning blue.  
  
Several of the thugs tried to aid the man; the braided youth flung them away like bits of paper. Mindlessly, he persevered, twisting, getting closer, closer... closer to the point where bone would shatter.  
  
A resounding crack filled the room, breaking his fixation.  
  
Duo Maxwell jerked back, his hands trembling. His mind raced.  
  
*What the hell am I doing? I was going to... going to... k...*  
  
Beneath him, the man wheezed, trying to cough but unable to because of the constricted space.  
  
"I have the information you're looking for. I'll spill it... just let him go. He ain't done you no harm, kid. It's not worth killing over."  
  
The braided youth turned in the direction the voice came from - and found himself looking at the bartender, the double-barreled shotgun responsible for the blast of sound that brought him back to reality still smoking in his hand.  
  
For a moment, Duo Maxwell stared at the man - balding, with a thin mustache and beard and a pair of sunglasses - he looked nothing like the sort of person one would find around here. But he was, and said he knew.  
  
The braided youth picked himself off the wheezing thug, ignoring the men who rushed to their fallen comrade to try and free him. All around, huge, fierce-looking thugs backed away as he walked over to the man behind the counter.  
  
Reaching, he eyed the balding guy. And nodded.  
  
"Talk."  
  
*****  
  
Ten minutes later, Duo Maxwell stepped out into the cold night breeze of the city of Los Angeles. Inside the bar, someone cranked up a jukebox and the sounds of revelry once again took over - apparently at least some within were eager to get drunk again, have a good time and forget about the inhuman youth that had crashed in that night.  
  
He sighed - after a lot of uncharacteristic pleading and coaxing on the part of the thugs, the braided youth had agreed to remove the crowbar from his unfortunate victim's neck - their own failed attempts probably sending their fear of him up a few notches.  
  
He grimaced - he hated being feared... but sometimes you needed things to be so to get the job done. Shrugging, he walked off into the night.  
  
*What the hell happened back there?*  
  
*What was I doing to that man? What... what came over me?*  
  
He looked at his hands, remembering the sensations.  
  
*I wonder... if that's how Solo felt when he killed those guards.*  
  
Shaking his head, he filed a mental note into the mission log for Zechs to have him sent for a thorough inspection once Sister was repaired. Something wasn't right, and the last thing he wanted to happen was to have himself turn into the next Solo.  
  
*Solo...*  
  
Thoughts of his twin stopped him in his tracks.  
  
*Solo...*  
  
*Damn it.*  
  
The braided youth drove a fist into the nearest wall with a resounding thud, sending cracks running up and down the entire frame.  
  
*Damn it all.*  
  
"Blake?"  
  
Duo's head whipped around at the familiar voice, his hand jerked away from the wall and his body moving swiftly to cover the surface he'd just scarred. He spoke, his voice tentative.  
  
"Hil... Hilde."  
  
The young woman before him stared at him, eyes wide, "Blake..."  
  
The braided youth shifted uncomfortably. *How much did she see?*  
  
She was moving closer now.  
  
"Blake... is it really you?"  
  
He breathed a sigh of relief. Smiling at her, he nodded.  
  
There were tears in her eyes as she dove straight into his arms, hugging him and holding him tight. Her voice wavered as she tried to speak.  
  
"Blake... I... I was so worried about you! What happened to you? I've... I've been trying to call you for a whole week, but... you just... I was... worried... especially after that... that night..."  
  
He silenced her with a kiss. Moments seemed like eternity.  
  
When he finally broke away, she was staring at him; her eyes still brimming with unshed tears. His voice was soft.  
  
"Everything's okay, Hilde. I'm okay... I'm here."  
  
She frowned, "But... those men... they burst into my place and wanted you. What have you gotten yourself into, Blake?"  
  
He smiled his best smile, still holding her tightly, "A small misunderstanding, Hilde. They were looking... they were looking for the wrong person."  
  
*the wrong person...*  
  
Hilde's frown refused to be placated, "Are you sure? You're... you're in no danger, are you? Then why haven't you been returning my calls?"  
  
The braided youth snorted, the usual charm and bravado filling his voice, "Ha! Me? In danger? You know me better than that, Hilde."  
  
Gazing at her, his voice took on a serious note, "I'm not in danger, Hilde. I'm perfectly fine. You don't have to worry about me."  
  
For a moment, she studied his face, then looking him up and down. The frown was gone, but her expression still spoke of unease, "You are... aren't you?"  
  
Something seemed to catch her attention, and the frown returned, "But... but you were injured... and it's only been a few days..."  
  
Duo shook his head nonchalantly. The lie came with practiced ease.   
  
"A few cuts and scrapes - the hospital patched me up pretty good. It looked worse than it really was."  
  
She replied, "How could you let them do this to you? Did you report them to the authorities - those... those men? You can't have let them get away with it. How can everything be fine? Weren't you... weren't you at least..."  
  
Her eyes flicked behind him for a moment.  
  
"... at least angry about it?"  
  
A momentary tinge of alarm crept down Duo Maxwell's spine, but he forced himself to remain calm. He replied smoothly.  
  
"Once they discovered their mistake, they were quick to apologise. I was... compensated."  
  
Her eyes narrowed as she stared at him, "Are you sure you're alright, Blake? You're not hiding anything from me?"  
  
He swallowed.  
  
"No, Hilde. I'm not. Come on, I'll walk you home."  
  
*****  
  
The hot water in the artificial onsen was strangely calming, Heero Yuy found himself thinking as he stretched his lithe body, the tender ministrations of the water currents flowing over his young frame. He closed his eyes, willing himself to calm down and to enjoy the bath.  
  
Not that he really needed one - unsurprisingly, he'd arrived at the city centre without even breaking a sweat and feeling uncannily energetic. Realising that he'd probably need to lie low for a while, he'd located the nearest ryokan, the traditional Japanese-style inn and requested for a room. The artificial hot spring within the complex, however, had been an unexpected bonus, and the Japanese youth had taken to the onsen like a fish to water. Though physically unscathed, he was a scattered bunch of nerves, ready to spring at the slightest disturbance.  
  
*Stop thinking, Heero. Relax.*  
  
He sighed, dipping himself deeper into the pool. The bath was strangely deserted - odd for this time of the day, though his ears did pick up some sounds from the adjacent women's bath.   
  
His thoughts wandered.   
  
*Relena...*  
  
That unexpected kiss had surprised them both. But what a nice surprise it had been. She had seemed so... nice, then - so unlike the cold professional who stared daggers at him throughout the day.  
  
And then there was Misako. The Japanese youth blushed. Reaching out of the pool, he grabbed the television remote and aimed it at the screen hanging from the ceiling. He turned the machine on.  
  
And gaped.   
  
*Shit.*  
  
The television was preprogrammed to a news network, and Heero Yuy saw... himself. Labeled as amateur video taken by a passerby, the Japanese youth watched as all of Japan saw him picking up a stretch limousine like a child would pick up a toy. His pulse increased.  
  
*Dammit... dammit, dammit, dammit.*  
  
The reporter was speaking now, quoting the EA Alliance's embassy as having no comment, before cutting over to the scene to air the views of several astonished people who had witnessed the event.  
  
Heero Yuy switched the screen off, his mind racing.  
  
*Not good... not good... too careless. Must think...*  
  
He didn't have the time - the door to the onsen creaked open, admitting someone, and the Japanese youth nearly jumped. He sank back into the water, trying to maintain an air of normalcy. He glanced at the newcomer, ready to nod a greeting.  
  
His eyes bulged.  
  
The newcomer was a woman. Without a scrap of clothing on.   
  
Heero felt his cheeks flush. He tried to speak, his voice coming out in a mild whisper, "Um... ah... excuse me..."  
  
The woman smiled at him, completely unperturbed. She seemed young, at most a few years older than he, with long brown hair trailing down her shoulders and dark, wide eyes. Her slim frame moved with subtle grace as she took a step forward, "Yes?"  
  
Her voice was husky.  
  
The Japanese youth was rooted to the spot, "Um... the... the... women's bath... is... is... is... it's over there." His hand trembled as he pointed in the general direction of the other artificial hot spring.  
  
The woman smiled, taking another step closer. She bent down to look at him, giving the youth a birds' eye view. She giggled softly, "I know."  
  
Heero nearly yelped. Lashing out, he grabbed at his towel, dragging it into the water and wrapped it around his waist.  
  
She was getting closer now, and she glanced down at him, at the towel. The smile didn't waver, "You're a shy one, aren't you? What, don't you like what you see?"  
  
He blushed, trying to look away but not succeeding completely. He found his voice, "Who... um... who are you?"  
  
She smiled again, "The proprietor of this inn is extremely concerned about the well-being of her clients, Saito-san. When you checked in, she noticed that you seemed somewhat under the weather... and she made the necessary arrangements."  
  
The sultry woman was in the water with him now, barely inches away. Heero tried to back away, uncertain, but already up against the side of the pool as he was, there was nowhere else to go. She was still speaking.  
  
"And thus, the onsen is empty, and no one will disturb us."  
  
She smiled again.  
  
"I am Noriko, Saito-san. And I am yours for the night."  
  
Heero swallowed heavily, "But... I... um..."  
  
All conscious thought fled the boy's mind as Noriko moved forward, seating herself squarely on his lap. Her smile widened, and a small laugh escaped her, "Well, -someone's- definitely happy that I'm here..."  
  
Impossible as it would seem, the Japanese youth blushed even deeper, but he remained in thrall, unable to move or think.  
  
*No... this is wrong... I shouldn't... shouldn't be...*  
  
Her arms came up, coming to rest lightly on his shoulders. Slowly, she began kneading, massaging, working out the kinks and the stress, and the boy actually found himself relaxing a little. It felt... good.  
  
She was working down his shoulders now, moving across his arms, down to his chest. Whispering softly, her voice took on an even huskier note, "My, my... you're a strong one for your age..."  
  
She smiled again, taking her hands off him.  
  
"But... if you enjoyed that... I'm sure you'll like this... even more."  
  
Heero opened his eyes just in time to see her hand plunge into the water, her target and intent obvious. He flushed yet again.  
  
Noriko grabbed hold of him.  
  
And his body locked up, frozen in position as though paralysed.   
  
*What... what the...*  
  
The smile was still on Noriko's face.  
  
But it no longer looked seductive.  
  
Ripping the towel from his waist, the woman stood up, wrapping it around her body. She smirked at him.  
  
"You men are all alike... bare a little flesh and instantaneously, your mind changes position - by about four feet down."  
  
Peeling at her hand, she tore off the concealed applicator patch and tossed it aside. She turned to look at the paralysed youth, her face an image of dark intent. Reaching down, she grabbed him by the hair, and pulled him close to her.  
  
Her voice hardened, "Welcome back, Agent Yuy. We weren't expecting you so soon... and certainly not like this."  
  
Fear gripped the boy for the second time that day. Instinct told him to flee, but his body refused to respond.  
  
Having eluded the Alliance, he had fallen prey yet again. This time, to the people that knew him best... the people who had sent him. The ones who knew him, but the ones he did not know. To the Asian Federation.  
  
The woman's other hand came down. The syringe pierced his skin.  
  
The world faded to black.  
  
*****  
  
The corridor had never seemed so empty. Walking silently, his footsteps echoing along the length of the hallway, Duo Maxwell ran a hand through his thick crop of chestnut-brown locks. The trip back to Hilde's had progressed without further awkward questions, and they'd parted amicably, with him promising to bring her out for dinner the next day, but the uncertainty in her eyes were clear.  
  
Something was afoot, and she wasn't in the know.  
  
Frowning, he turned around the corner, stopping in front of one of the many doorways. While Sister was undergoing repairs, the professors had assigned him to one of the spare quarters in the residential annex where most of the staff lived - Relena's quarters were just five doors down, and Noin was a floor up. Punching in his access code, the door swiftly slid open.   
  
He blinked.  
  
Hilde Schebecker was in his room.  
  
*****  
  
The elder Hilde smiled, getting up from the chair as Duo walked into the room. He nodded in greeting, "Ms. Schebecker... can I help you?"  
  
She smiled, "You forgot again..."  
  
The braided cyber-youth paused for a moment, querying his memory. He nodded, smiling sheepishly, "Oh yeah... sorry, Mrs. Maxwell."  
  
The older woman looked at him with a gaze that was almost tender, "You know... for a cybernetic version of the man who is my husband back home, you do a wonderful job of reminding me of him when he was younger, Duo."  
  
Duo Maxwell laughed softly, "I'll take that as a compliment."  
  
Hilde Schebecker sat back down, folding her hands on her lap, "You're obviously wondering why I'm here."  
  
The boy nodded, sitting down on the bed and focusing on the woman who was so important to the professors.  
  
She looked at the boy for a moment.  
  
"You met Hilde earlier, didn't you?"  
  
The youth blinked, "How..."  
  
Hilde cut him off, "I... I am concerned, Duo. My younger self is... very confused. She's uncertain, and scared. She suspects you know more than you're telling her, and this makes her worry."  
  
Duo stood up, staring at the elder woman, "How do you know all this?"  
  
Hilde continued, "You've done a marvelous job at concealing your true nature, Duo... and you've played the role of Blake extremely well. But my younger self... Hilde... isn't blind. She's always had this nagging suspicion that something was awry... and what happened that night with Solo confirmed her worst fears. She suspects strongly now, Duo... and she doesn't believe what you told her just now."  
  
Crossing the distance between them, Duo took the elder Hilde's hands in his own. His eyes took on a pleading look.  
  
"Mrs. Maxwell... please... tell me how you know all of this."  
  
She looked at the boy silently. And she smiled.  
  
"Have you ever wondered why I don't have the Dreams, Duo?"  
  
The braided youth paused. He recalled the professors mentioned that the elder Hilde did not have what was termed as Dreams, an impossibility by its very nature. All of humanity had the Dreams, even cybernetic clones like himself. They often appeared as visions - visions of a different world, of people both familiar and unfamiliar working and playing. The Dreams spoke, hinted of a world where all was the same... but all was different.  
  
The Dreams never harmed anyone, but some would get too obsessed with them, believing the Dreams to be a supernatural voice telling them about their real calling in life. Some, in their attempt to fulfill what they saw as the prophecy of their Dreams, often became violent, extreme and even insane at times. Hence, the official warnings and training provided by governmental authorities to combat any potential problems the Dreams could cause.  
  
But here, facing him was one who did not Dream.  
  
He answered her, simply, "Yes."  
  
She nodded, "As I have explained to Heero - the Dreams are the result of the accident that created this world. You know I'm from the future, Duo... the future of the world depicted in the Dreams. An experiment I was involved in went awry, sending me and one other into different times in the past. Something that the other traveler did altered history as I knew it, and in the process, changed the world from the way it was into this world as it is now. My world ceased to exist the moment she changed the past - but a faint echo of what was struggled to remain."  
  
She paused, "Things do not change all that easily, Duo. What you Dream of is the world that was meant to be - what you were meant to be in that world. It is the last lingering hope that we... that I have... that things can go back to the way they were. In that world, you were a pilot - one of the best, fighting for people, for justice - a shining example for all. You were one of five specially chosen young men... a leader in your own right."  
  
She looked at him.  
  
"And you were my first love."  
  
Hilde smiled at the young boy, "If I had not been sent here, to this year, then your Hilde would be having Dreams of the life I led. But she does not. Instead, she Dreams of me as I am now, sheltered here in this organization. She knows when I eat, when I sleep, when I laugh and when I cry. She does not know I exist - to her, I am but a fantasy. But I know better. Just as she can see what I do, I know what she does and what she feels."  
  
Understanding dawned on the braided youth.  
  
"That is how I know, Duo... but it is more than that."  
  
The elder Hilde paused yet again, raising a hand to tap thoughtfully at her cheek, "She is the reason I can remain in this world - she is my link to this place. Without her, I cannot survive. Without her, I would become just another fragment of that lost world. I do not understand it, but it is so. That... that is why you were assigned to watch over her, to maintain the illusion of Blake. You are there to protect her, to keep her safe and to prevent her from doing anything rash, as she would well have done had she learnt of his death."  
  
She gazed at the young boy, "That is why it is important for her to be safe. I am the only one with the knowledge and the ability to return the world to what it was - and I'm sure the professors have told you the consequences of leaving this world as it is. Hilde must be kept safe. Heero must assist us. And we must find Wufei before he succeeds in his mission."  
  
Duo Maxwell nodded.  
  
"I understand."  
  
She smiled, "Be careful, Duo."  
  
Leaning over, she drew him into a hug, kissing him lightly on the forehead. The doors closed behind her silent exit.  
  
*****  
  
It was far too quiet. The blond youth muttered silently to himself, twirling around in the huge chair, watching as his massive office twirled round in his vision.  
  
*Dammit, Iria... why won't you talk to me?*  
  
Quatre sighed.   
  
*I need coffee.*  
  
Swiveling around, he reached out for the porcelain cup on his table. The cup flew into his hand. He blinked.  
  
*Not again... why does... this... keep... on... happening?!*  
  
Gritting his teeth, he hurled the cup across the room, fully intending to smash the fragile crockery against the door out of sheer frustration. Instead, he heard a dull thud.   
  
Turning, he stared as Tryten, his temporary assistant, walked into the room, the cup firmly in his grasp.  
  
And still half full. He was smiling, "Good throw, sir."  
  
Quatre found himself smiling back, "Well, that was... a good catch, I guess." He chuckled softly, "I'm sorry, Tryten. I didn't hear you come in."  
  
He eyed the taller boy, laughing a little, "I didn't sense you coming in either... have you been practicing behind my back or something?"  
  
Tryten appeared amused, "I think you were just a little preoccupied, sir."  
  
The blond youth grinned, his mood clearly improved. He found himself looking at the other boy. There was something about him that couldn't be explained - just his presence alone made Quatre feel calmer and more at ease. Perhaps it was something about the way he carried himself - Tryten always looked prim and proper, confident and self-assured, all of which were qualities Quatre Winner had to force himself to learn, but which Tryten carried with natural ease.  
  
The blond smiled again, "So, what brings you in here, Tryten? I thought I asked you to take the day off..."  
  
The taller youth nodded, "You did, sir, but Ms. Winner stopped me in the hallway and asked me to hand this to you." He passed a small datachip over to Quatre.  
  
Taking it, the blond youth studied the chip carefully. Iria. Turning back to Tryten, he spoke quietly, "Thanks, Tryten."  
  
"You're welcome, sir."  
  
The intercom broke in, the voice of Quatre's secretary filling the room, "Mr. Winner, incoming call from Los Angeles - specific location untraceable. Shall I accept?"  
Quatre and Tryten exchanged a look, and the blond youth nodded at the other. Taking the cue, Tryten swiftly turned around, exiting the room quietly. Turning back to the intercom panel, the blond youth spoke again, "Patch the call through now, Margaret. Thank you."  
  
He faced the communications screen, preparing himself for the one he knew he would be coming face-to-face with shortly. The call was patched through.  
  
"Ah, Quatre. It's nice to see you again. How is everything?"  
  
The blond kept his face expressionless, "Professor J. To what do I owe this call?"  
  
The scientist paused for a moment, before catching himself. A small smile creased his face, "You business people... direct and straight to the point as always. Very well, Quatre. Down to business, it is."  
  
The professor stared at the young boy through the monitor, "Something's happened to Heero, it seems."  
  
The mention of the Japanese youth got Quatre's full attention, "What? But..."  
  
The scientist spoke over him, "He has failed to report in for three days now... we've tried contacting him but his communication device appears to have been deactivated."  
  
He paused, "As things stand, I am forced to make several conclusions - either Heero has been killed - a most improbable thing considering his abilities, or he does not wish to be contacted. Or either the Alliance or the Federation has him."  
  
Aged eyes met blue, "In any case..."  
  
Quatre interrupted, "You want me to go find him."  
  
The scientist nodded, "I can't hide anything from you... yes, I would appreciate it greatly if you could go find him - it is imperative that he not fall into the hands of the Alliance, or worse, back into the grasp of the Federation... I would have otherwise sent Duo, but he's uncovered a strong lead as to the whereabouts of Wufei and is needed here. I have no choice, Quatre."  
  
The boy remained silent, deep in thought.   
  
"I'll do it."  
  
J smiled, "Good lad. Hurry now, we must know for sure."  
  
The screen blinked out.  
  
*****  
  
Less than two hours later, the corporate jet belonging to the Maganac Corporation touched down at Tokyo Narita, the second time in a week they had taken this route. Encircled by a massive entourage, Quatre Raberba Winner, president and CEO of the world's largest manufacturer of neo-titanium swept into the airport, clearing through immigration with blazing speed - it helped sometimes to have friends high up in diplomatic circles.  
  
Having noted down orders to Margaret for the rest of the staff, the blond youth turned to his new assistant, "Tryten, follow them back to the residence and make sure everyone gets settled in properly."  
  
The boy shifted uncomfortably, and Quatre frowned, "What's wrong?"  
  
The other youth flushed, "Sir... something happened to Mr. Yuy, right? I just know it... somehow.., I mean... why else would we come rushing down here all of a sudden?"  
  
Blinking back surprise, the blond youth dragged the taller boy away from the rest of the staff, "How did you know? Did you..."  
  
Tryten shook his head vehemently, his brown locks shaking and falling over his face, "No, sir... I didn't pry into your thoughts... it's just a gut feeling... but I want to help, sir. I want to help you find him... I mean, I tried so hard to be careful, to make sure no one saw us enter the airport or him board the plane... but I obviously wasn't diligent enough. I want to do something to make it up."  
  
Quatre stared at the other boy.  
  
His eyes were pleading, "Please, sir."  
  
The blond nodded.  
  
*****  
  
The youth woke up to the sharp sensation of pain wracking his entire body. He coughed, his whole body shaking with the effort. He forced his eyes to open.  
  
He was in a lab of some sort, strapped down to an examination table, utterly and stark naked. Above him, various scanners and sensors whirred as they did their job, and in the distance, various masked technicians and scientists in white lab coats stood at various terminals, working furiously. In the distance, a large triangular logo came into focus, and Heero stared.  
  
A Federation seal.  
  
The memories flooded back - the inn, the hot springs, the woman...  
  
Noriko.  
  
*I was so... naïve.*  
  
He tried to move, tried to rip to shreds the bonds that held him down. He couldn't move an inch. His body refused to respond.  
  
Through the haze, a familiar voice wafted in, "I'd save your strength, if I were you. Even with the abilities we gave you, it's going to be a long night, Mr. Yuy."  
  
His thoughts flashed back into focus. He glanced at the person he knew was siding up to him. Watching as she moved, he frowned. She looked different - a tight black uniform covered her lithe frame and her brown hair was tied up into a fierce bun. A small pair of rimmed spectacles rested lightly on her face. She looked different, but two things were clear - the badge she wore clearly marked her as a member of the Asian Federation Defense Corps' Elite Forces, and the voice told him who she was. He tried to say something, his lips fighting against him.  
  
"No... nori.."  
  
She smiled at him, a cunning fox eyeing its prey, "What a silly name, that 'Noriko'. I'm surprised you fell for it, Agent Yuy... Heero." Leaning close, she toyed with his chin, "Or... perhaps, can it be really true that you don't remember anything? That you don't remember me?"  
  
His blank gaze met her stare.  
  
She shook her head slowly, "Such a pity... we were so good together. And look at you now, reduced to this." Turning around, she picked up an applicator patch, the twin of the one that had been Heero's undoing. She faced him again, playing with the patch.  
  
"Isn't it marvelous what technology can do? We have the power to create supermen and unleash them out on to the unsuspecting world... unstoppable killing machines bent on fulfilling their mission... and then we can create a small piece of cloth more than capable of stopping such inhuman creatures in their tracks, should it become necessary."  
  
She leaned in closer again, her voice that of Noriko's again, dangling the patch in front of the captive youth, "Of course, the patch works by taking control of your nervous system, thereby bypassing and not having to fight your enhanced abilities, and therefore has to be applied to a section of the body that has a lot of raw nerve endings... for maximum effect."  
  
Her hand reached down towards Heero's crotch, her smile still fixed and unwavering, "Of course, we saw just how easy it was to get it to work, didn't we, Heero?"  
  
"Agent Anne."  
  
The woman jerked her head up towards the voice, and the youth tried to follow suit - but his body refused to obey. The voice, a slightly deep tenor, was speaking again.  
  
"Stop teasing the subject, Agent. You have work to complete, and the tests must go underway shortly if we are to file the report to HQ on time."  
  
Anne nodded, straightening out and saluting, "Yes, sir." She turned back to Heero, her smile returning. She winked at him, "You're in for some fun. Be nice and cooperative, and it'll be that much easier for us to find out what went wrong. Then all that's left will be for us to make the necessary corrections, reprogram you, and you can be off on your way... and none of this will ever have happened."  
  
She walked off.  
  
*****  
  
"Mr. Winner..."  
  
The youth rushed on.  
  
"Mr. Winner!"  
  
He jerked around, his face the epitome of annoyance. He snapped, "What is it?" Not expecting such a sudden movement, the staff member from the local Maganac offices skidded to a halt. He flushed, "Um... sir, our sources in the Intelligence Department told us that the last tracked location for that communication device was just outside the Euro-American Alliance Embassy. Sir..."  
  
The staff member stared at the dilapidated old building in the heart of Tokyo that his employer appeared to be headed for, "Sir... are you sure you know where you're going? Um... we could arrange for transport to.."  
  
Quatre came as close as he ever did to snarling, brushing past the employee and continuing without so much as a hesitation, "Yes, I know where I'm going! Go back to the office, idiot!"  
  
Leaving the hapless employee behind, the blond youth quickly swerved at the next corner. Swiftly, as though gliding on air, his companion appeared by his side, the taller one looking with concern at the blond youth. Tryten whispered, "Sir... you must calm yourself. He was only trying to help."  
  
Quatre Winner nodded violently, "I know he was! But those idiots had me trekking all over this stupid city for hours now, chasing pointless leads! Who knows what could've happened to Heero by now?"  
  
Tryten eyed his employer, "But... you know where he is."  
  
The blond sighed, tapping his head, "I had no other choice... I had to find him... you know... the newtype way."   
  
The taller youth nodded, "It must be very convenient, being a high-level newtype."  
  
Quatre ignored the other boy for once, "He's in there, but I'm beginning to get the sense that he's somewhere below ground."  
  
"And you think the two of us can get in and get him out? Perhaps we should call the authori.." The blond youth cut him off, shaking his head, "There's no time... but I have a plan."  
  
For his part, Tryten looked rather uncertain.  
  
"I hope so, sir."  
  
*****  
  
Standing in the corridor of the underground complex, Tryten watched in amazement as two armoured security guards walked past them, ignorant of their presence. He turned to the other youth.  
  
"Mr. Winner, perhaps I should learn to trust you a little more."  
  
The blond youth frowned at him, "Quiet. This isn't easy, you know... I have to concentrate."  
  
Applying the newtype powers that had been a curse throughout his life, Quatre Raberba Winner scanned ahead, down the corridor leading to the place he knew Heero was being held. His abilities had not failed him yet, successfully masking their presence from everything that stood in their way - guards, security cameras, even the sniffer dogs that roamed the complex at regular intervals.   
  
He focused harder - yes, Heero was definitely there, at the end of the corridor - and nothing stood between them. There were no more guards, no more cameras.   
  
They were through. They had made it.  
  
He smiled at Tryten, "He's over there."  
  
The other boy nodded, leading the way down the corridor cautiously. Mere moments passed, and both youths found themselves in front of a massive locked door. Without skipping a beat, Quatre put both hands on the door, closing his eyes and focusing, clearing his mind.   
  
The door whirred and clicked, emitted a small beep. And unlocked.  
  
Smiling, the blond youth pushed it open, admitting both into a huge laboratory area. He gasped.  
  
Filled with technicians and scientists in lab coats, the room had the sterile smell of a hospital. But in the center of the room lay Heero, on top of an examination table, unconscious, his body bruised and battered. At such close proximity, the blond newtype could feel the other boy's wounds.  
  
*How can he withstand such... pain? What could they have done to him... to one with his abilities... to injure him so?*  
  
Rushing to his side, Quatre placed a hand on the broken form of the Japanese youth. He shook his head in disgust. How could they...?  
  
As though noticing something, Tryten suddenly rushed forward, "Sir! Mr. Winner... you're..."  
  
A startled shout came from the far corner of the lab. All eyes in the room suddenly trained on them. Quatre blinked.  
  
*Damn...*  
  
He'd forgotten to hide their presence.   
  
One of the technicians was lunging towards what could only be an alarm switch, and instinctively, Quatre reacted. He closed his eyes, focusing, unleashing a concentrated burst of mental power that blinded everything in the room, sending everyone around him, save for Heero and Tryten, reeling to the ground. The men and women in lab coats were unconscious before they hit, stunned by the sudden surge of mental energy.  
  
Quatre blinked, more in surprise than in anything else - his control over his power was sketchy at best... sometimes it worked... sometimes it didn't. That blast hadn't been what he was expecting, but it did it's job.   
  
At least no one died this time.  
  
He turned back to where Heero lay.  
  
And an alarm sounded. The huge metal door sealed shut. Red warning lights strobed across the room.   
  
Twisting around, Quatre found himself yelling over the din, "What the hell's happening?" Tryten never got the chance to reply. Within a fraction of a second, a piercing whine began emitting out of the speakers, sending both youths to their knees.  
  
*No...*  
  
Fighting with every ounce of strength he possessed, Quatre forced himself to stand up, to try and locate the source of the noise that was doing this to them, to smash the device to pieces with his power.  
  
*No...*  
  
He fell to the ground.  
  
*****  
  
His head felt as though it were on fire. Blinking to clear his vision, he felt a surge of pure alarm course through his veins. They were surrounded - black-uniformed Federation guards aimed deadly-looking rifles at both of them. Next to him, Mr. Winner lay sprawled on the ground, still unconscious. Craning his neck to look around the room, he noted quickly that Heero had been removed.  
  
In the distance, a voice was audible. He froze.  
  
*No... of all the people to...*  
  
His mission was severely compromised now. He had no choice...  
  
"If it isn't Quatre Winner of the Maganac Corporation... so, it appears that our Mr. Yuy made some friends in high places while he was away..."  
  
The owner of the voice turned towards the other youth. And paused.  
  
A hearty laugh.   
  
"Well, well, well - the plot thickens, doesn't it, Lieutenant Barton? What brings you to the heart of Federation territory? I trust you didn't enjoy your previous visit enough to want to make a return trip."  
  
"Tryten" forced a smile, "I think you know full well why I'm here."  
  
The retort was quick, "Of course I do... I'm just playing around."  
  
The voice jerked around, "Wake Mr. Winner up. I have some things I would like to say to him."   
  
With military precision and speed, a guard rushed up to the fallen blond, applying a stimulant patch to the boy's skin. The guard paused, waiting.  
  
The voice snapped at him, "You're done, aren't you? Get out of my way."  
  
Tryten blinked... staring at the guard. Something... something was wrong. The guard's eyes were bulging, and his voice was somewhat constricted as it came out, "Sir... I can't... I can't move..."  
  
It was the last thing he said - without warning, the guard was lifted up by some unseen force, held aloft for a second before bursting to shreds in a sea of red. Blood splattered across the room.   
  
Quatre Winner's eyes snapped open.  
  
Tryten, normally known as Lieutenant Trowa Barton of the Euro-American Alliance Special Forces, backed away, in more of a hurry than ever before. Something was different about the blond youth now. His eyes widened as his thoughts fled back a few weeks.  
  
~~Within such close proximity, Tryten could feel the strength emanating from the boy. It was overpowering... dark... frightening. Though he remained calm on the outside, somewhere deep inside, something that was Tryten... something that was more than Tryten... screamed, unable to comprehend the power that lay within the other boy.~~  
  
~~He could feel it. The raw power that lay within the other was completely overwhelming. Something was holding the power at bay now, but there was a battle going on within the boy, he could see that. He did not want to see what would happen should the boy lose control.~~  
  
And it had happened.  
  
Trowa tried calling out to the blond youth, calling his name, pleading for him to stop. He was ignored. Quatre was standing up now - the remains of two more guards scattered across the room. All around, monitors, screens, equipment and lights were shattering with massive force - the very structure of the complex seemed to be shaking.  
  
Looking at Quatre, seeing the wild-eyed, glazed, unseeing look, the one known as Tryten felt real fear for the first time in his life. Even being in the hands of the enemy had never been so terrifying. He closed off his mind, every ounce of his hidden abilities fighting against the barrage that was emanating from the boy. The non newtypes, the guards, could not feel what he did - they only suffered the effects of the youth's rage. But Trowa Barton could feel the power in the other boy - the power that had been kept in check before by something... but was now rushing, pouring out of the boy with maddening fury.   
  
The remaining guards were firing at the blond youth now - succeeding only in killing each other as the bullets were deflected away from the boy by some unseen force, sending the deadly rounds ricocheting around the room, occasionally finding a target other than that for which it had been intended.  
  
With a primal roar of unchecked anger, Quatre's eyes blazed and all the remaining guards fell to the ground as though crushed by some massive weight, their weapons warping and twisting mere moments before their bones cracked under the strain, reducing them to pulpified mass. The ground itself gave way to the unseen power, cracking and twisting in the aftermath of the blond youth's fury.  
  
And all of a sudden, Trowa Barton found himself alone with what was once Quatre Raberba Winner.  
  
  
TO BE CONTINUED.  
  
SR - sandrock@sandrockproductions.com bug him to finish the story.  



End file.
